Latest news with #Lebanese
Nahar Net
an hour ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Barrack to reportedly visit Jumblat and apologize for Ortagus' behavior
by Naharnet Newsdesk 20 June 2025, 12:51 U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack will visit former PSP leader Walid Jumblat after the latter was insulted by former U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus. "Crack is whack, Walid," Ortagus wrote on the X platform after Jumblat described her conditions as "unrealistic." A report, published Friday on al-Jadeed, said that Barrack will apologize for Ortagus' behavior. Barrack visited Lebanon on Thursday and warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war between Iran and Israel. Barrack is of Lebanese origins and is also the U.S. ambassador to Turkey. He has said that he will temporarily replace Morgan Ortagus as Washington's special envoy to Lebanon. During his first official visit to Lebanon on Thursday he met with President Joseph Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
Nahar Net
an hour ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Lebanese officials say war decision in state's hand after Qassem's remarks
by Naharnet Newsdesk 20 June 2025, 12:38 The decisions of war and peace in Lebanon 'belong only to the state,' official Lebanese sources stressed Friday, after Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem said Hezbollah is 'not neutral' in the war between Israel and Iran and would act as it sees fit. 'Lebanon is against being dragged into the war between Iran and Israel,' the sources told Al-Arabiya's Al-Hadath channel. Qassem's remarks came after U.S. envoy Tom Barrack warned that Hezbollah's involvement in the war would be a 'very bad decision' and after Speaker Nabih Berri said that "Lebanon will '200%' not enter the war because it … would pay the price and because Iran does not need us."
Nahar Net
an hour ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Berri 'certain' '200 percent' sure Hezbollah won't join Iran war
by Naharnet Newsdesk 20 June 2025, 12:39 Hezbollah will certainly not join the Israel-Iran war, the group's ally Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has reportedly told his visitors. Berri's visitors told al-Jadeed, in remarks published Friday, that the speaker is "certain" that Lebanon will not join the war. On Thursday, Berri said Lebanon will "200 percent" not enter the war. "It has no interest in that and would pay the price if it did," he said, adding that Iran "does not need us." A Lebanese government source also told al-Jadeed Thursday that Hezbollah will not join the fray after an Iranian official told al-Jazeera that Hezbollah would act if the United States intervened to back up its ally Israel. - Hezbollah chief says group will 'act as we see fit'- Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Thursday that the group would "act as we see fit" in response to the ongoing war between Iran and Israel. In a statement, Qassem said Hezbollah was "not neutral" in the conflict between the two regional superpowers, saying that the group would "act as we see fit in the face of this brutal Israeli-American aggression". Berri said Qassem's remarks are only aimed at showing "solidarity" with Iran and certainly do not mean that Hezbollah will join the war. Earlier this week, Hezbollah political bureau member Mahmoud Qmati denied that Hezbollah would get involved and said that "Iran is strong enough and does not need military support from anyone". - Hezbollah has not fired a single rocket - U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on Thursday warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war between Iran and Israel, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the entire "Shiite axis" is not responding to Israeli attacks on Iran and that "Hezbollah has not fired a single rocket". Caroline Rose, a director at the Washington-based New Lines Institute think tank said that "Iran-backed proxies across the region — particularly Hezbollah— just do not have the capacity" to enter the fray. But Israel could still target them, she said. - Barrack vs Ortagus - Berri, who met Barrack Thursday, said the meeting was "excellent" and lauded the Lebanese-American diplomat for his tact and savoir-faire, which could be a hint that U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus was not as tactful. Berri had said after reports that Ortagus would be replaced that Israel's discontent about her replacement is "pleasing to the heart" and more than enough reason for him to be pleased by it. In her first visit to war-hit Lebanon in February, Ortagus voiced from the presidential palace in Baabda pro-Israel statements. "We are grateful to our ally Israel for defeating Hezbollah," Ortagus said. Al-Akhbar newspaper claimed that President Joseph Aoun later expressed to U.S. officials "his unease" over Ortagus' approach. The Presidency's press office announced that "what Ortagus said from Baabda reflects her viewpoint and the Presidency is not concerned with it." Later on the X platform, Ortagus mocked Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem with a "Yawn" as she reposted some of his words and insulted former PSP leader Walid Jumblat. "Crack is whack, Walid," Ortagus wrote after Jumblat described her conditions as "unrealistic." Ortagus has said that the United States has set a "red line" that Hezbollah should not be a member of Lebanon's next government and demanded that Hezbollah be disarmed. Despite Ortagus' words, Hezbollah took part in Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government. Barrack is of Lebanese origins and is also the U.S. ambassador to Turkey. He has said that he will temporarily replace Ortagus as Washington's special envoy to Lebanon. During his first official visit to Lebanon on Thursday he met with Aoun, Salam and Berri.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Israeli drone strike targets car in southern Lebanon's
Shafaq News/ An Israeli drone strike on Friday targeted a vehicle on the main road near the town of al-Abbasiyeh in the Tyre district, southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese media reports. A widely circulated video showed the vehicle engulfed in flames with thick smoke rising from the scene. مسيّرة إسرائيلية تستهدف سيارة في العباسية #lebanon24 — Lebanon 24 (@Lebanon24) June 20, 2025
Nahar Net
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Israel's Katz warns Hezbollah against entering Iran war
by Naharnet Newsdesk 20 June 2025, 11:24 Israel's defense minister Israel Katz on Friday warned Hezbollah against entering the Iran-Israel war, after the Islamic republic's ally said it would act "as we see fit". "I suggest the Lebanese proxy be cautious and understand that Israel has lost patience with terrorists who threaten it", Katz said in a statement, adding that "if there is terrorism -- there will be no Hezbollah."
