Latest news with #al-Jadeed
Nahar Net
an hour ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Barrack to reportedly visit Jumblat and apologize for Ortagus' behavior
by Naharnet Newsdesk 5 hours 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
Berri 'certain', '200% sure' Hezbollah won't join Iran war
by Naharnet Newsdesk 5 hours 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. Ortagus on the other hand, an American diplomat, intelligence analyst, political advisor, naval officer, and former television commentator, has converted to Judaism and is a strong supporter of Israel.
Nahar Net
6 hours 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
6 hours 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.
Nahar Net
a day ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Would Hezbollah join Iran war if US intervened?
by Naharnet Newsdesk 19 June 2025, 16:24 Hezbollah will not join the fray in the Israeli-Iranian war, a Lebanese government source told al-Jadeed Thursday, after an Iranian official told al-Jazeera that Hezbollah would act if the United States intervened to back up its ally Israel. "The communication between the Lebanese Army and Hezbollah is reassuring," the source said, ruling out such a possibility. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that the entire "Shiite axis" including Hezbollah is not responding to Israeli attacks on Iran. "Hezbollah has not fired a single rocket," Netanyahu said. "If we eliminate Iran, all its proxies will collapse," he added. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal brought an end to the latest Israel-Hezbollah war in November. Hezbollah lost much of its senior leadership and arsenal in the conflict and has remained largely quiet since then and has given no indication that it intends to join the fray between Israel and Iran. Israeli forces have continued to occupy several border points in southern Lebanon and to carry out regular airstrikes on what Israel says are Hezbollah facilities since the ceasefire. Caroline Rose, a director at the Washington-based New Lines Institute think tank said that while it seems "clear that Iran-backed proxies across the region — particularly Hezbollah—just do not have the capacity" to enter the fray, Israel could decide to expand the scope of its offensive beyond Iran. One of the goals announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to eliminate Iran's "axis of terrorism" — the coalition of Tehran-backed armed groups across the region known as the "Axis of Resistance." That goal "is ambiguous and offers Israel the operational space to expand this war to countries it deems are hosting Iran-backed proxies, no matter how weak they may be," Rose said. Hezbollah on Thursday condemned Israel's threat to kill Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after an Israeli hospital was hit during an Iranian missile attack, describing it as "an act of recklessness and foolishness" that would have "grave consequences", but said nothing about military intervening, while Iran-backed militants in Iraq, threatened to attack U.S. citizens in the event that Khamenei is targeted. Earlier this week, Hezbollah political bureau member Mahmoud Qmati denied that Hezbollah would get involved in the Iranian-Israeli war and said that "Iran is strong enough and does not need military support from anyone" but that was before U.S. President Donald Trump dangled the prospect of U.S. involvement. - 'I may do it, I may not' - Khamenei has rejected Trump's demand for an "unconditional surrender", despite the president's claims that "Iran's got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate". Trump has left his intentions on joining the conflict deliberately ambiguous, saying Wednesday: "I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do. "The next week is going to be very big," he added, without further details. Any U.S. involvement would be expected to involve the bombing of a crucial underground Iranian nuclear facility in Fordo, using specially developed bunker-busting bombs. The White House said Trump would receive an intelligence briefing on Thursday, a U.S. holiday. Top U.S. diplomat Marco Rubio is set meet his British counterpart for talks expected to focus on the conflict. "I have ideas as to what to do, but I haven't made a final (decision)," Trump said. "I like to make the final decision one second before it's due, because things change. Especially with war." The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had told aides on Tuesday he had approved attack plans but was holding off to see if Iran would give up its nuclear program. The U.S. president had favored a diplomatic route to end Iran's nuclear program, seeking a deal to replace the 2015 agreement he tore up in his first term. But since Israel unleashed the campaign against Iran last week, Trump has stood behind the key U.S. ally. - 'Very bad decision' - The U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on Thursday warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war between Iran and Israel. "I can say on behalf of President (Donald) Trump... that would be a very, very, very bad decision," Barrack said after his meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. The Lebanese foreign ministry said last week that it was "continuing its contacts" to spare the country from being dragged into any conflict.
