#lebanon

#lebanon

Martyrs' Square became the symbolic backdrop for interfaith solidarity amid the country's political paralysis. Pope Leo has called for coexistence during the second day of his visit to Lebanon, gathering clerics from across the religious spectrum on both sides of a former civil war dividing line, and appealing for unity in a region fractured by violence.

Pope Leo has urged political leaders in Lebanon to make peace their highest priority in a forceful appeal as he is visiting the country, which remains a target of Israeli airstrikes, on the second leg of his first overseas trip as Catholic leader. Leo, the first US pope, arrived in Beirut on Sunday from a four-day visit to Turkey where he warned that humanity's future was at risk because of the world's unusual number of bloody conflicts, and condemned violence in the name of religion.

no more video calls, no more counting down the days

This morning I saw two videos, he said. One was of an ICE agent. The woman was on the asphalt, zip-tied. He came over and zapped her, and then carried her like garbage and threw her in the back of the SUV. The second video, he continued, showed a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon that was bombed and 12 people died. And I kept thinking: they make a desolation and call it a ceasefire. Sometimes, as writers, we have to say: enough.

An Israeli drone strike has killed two people in southern Lebanon, according to the country's Ministry of Public Health, a day after Israeli warplanes launched a series of deadly strikes on the country's eastern mountain range and south. It's the latest in near-daily Israeli violations of the United States-brokered ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah that began in November.

During fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, Nouhad was forced to flee her home in southern Lebanon. While others speak of loss and destruction, the 81-year-old speaks of her beloved olive grove her life's work and a symbol of resilience amid the chaos. But when the Israeli military rains down white phosphorus, burning her beloved trees, she must confront the unbearable truth of losing not just her land, but a part of herself.

Lebanon is pushing to get more support from the United States after another deadly Israeli drone attack on southern Lebanon, which this time killed five people, including three children, the latest in a series of near-daily violations by Israel of the US-brokered November 2024 ceasefire. President Joseph Aoun and other officials met with a delegation led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Lebanese presidency said in a statement on Tuesday.

Lebanon has launched a plan to disarm Palestinian groups in its refugee camps, beginning with the handover of weapons from Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut. The prime minister's office announced on Thursday that the weapons transfer to the Lebanese army marks the start of a wider disarmament campaign. More handovers are expected in the coming weeks across Burj al-Barajneh and other camps nationwide.

Iraqi and Lebanese intelligence agencies coordinated to discover and destroy one of Lebanon's largest drug factories making the highly addictive amphetamine Captagon.

I want to firstly send my best wishes to the Irish Defence Forces personnel affected in today's incident. While I am very pleased to report that all personnel are safe and well, the fact they came under fire while on patrol is deeply worrying.

Aoun emphasized that Syria's stability would have a positive effect on Lebanon and the region as a whole, acknowledging the importance of recent US decisions.