BEIRUT: Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of the US Central Command (USCENTCOM), has stressed the importance of the strong partnership between the US and the Lebanese Armed Forces.
He reaffirmed the importance of preserving Lebanon’s security, stability, and sovereignty, and underscored the importance of the strong partnership between the US and Lebanese militaries.
Gen. McKenzie arrived in Beirut amid protests against this visit organized by supporters of Hezbollah on the road leading to Rafic Hariri International Airport, while Lebanese troops took extreme measures to prevent protesters from approaching McKenzie’s convoy.
The Information Office of the Lebanese Presidency issued a statement noting: “(General) McKenzie met with President Michel Aoun who praised the cooperation between the Lebanese and US armies in matters of training and armament, and hoped to further develop the military cooperation between Lebanon and the US.”
Aoun pointed out to “the support that the Lebanese Army received from the US Army in 2017 during the battle of Aarsal against Daesh and Al-Nusra,” and added “the (Lebanese) army succeeded in eliminating terrorist dormant cells and continues pursuing them.”
The statement noted that McKenzie confirmed the “continuous support of the US military command to the Lebanese army that is defending Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty at all levels including combat and continuous high-level training.”
Gen. McKenzie was accompanied by USCENTCOM officials and officers, as well as the US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea, and US Defense Attaché Robert Meine.
The US Embassy in Lebanon said: “The one-day visit to Lebanon also included meetings with senior Lebanese political and defense leaders, including representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the Lebanese Armed Forces, office calls at the US Embassy, and a brief stop at memorials honoring the memory of those who have perished in service to their country.”
Since 1997, the US has classified Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Hezbollah’s influence on state affairs has increased since the formation of Hassan Diab’s government last January.
This was McKenzie’s fourth visit since he assumed his duties on March 28, 2019 as successor to Gen. Joseph Votel, commanding US military operations in several countries, including Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan.
The visit of the general coincided with the announcement by the Lebanese army command of the closure of three roads in Hermel region, used to smuggle goods between Lebanon and Syria. In addition, it announced the closure of two illegal crossings and five roads that are used to smuggle stolen cars and goods.
Smugglers between Lebanon and Syria operate under the protection of Hezbollah, which asserts that it is not capable of curtailing smuggling. Sheikh Naim Qassem, deputy secretary-general of Hezbollah, said on Tuesday “Hezbollah is unable to close illegal crossings and holds the army responsible for achieving the task.”
On Wednesday, opposition lawmakers and activists ridiculed the Hezbollah chief, Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, after he called for “an industrial and agricultural jihad to cultivate the land to avoid starvation.”
Nasrallah’s opponents called it a “sign of impotence,” given his additional call for “negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).”
Nasrallah did not mention any specific reforms, while he continued his campaign against the US ambassador, calling on her to: “Stop interfering (in Lebanese affairs).” He also renewed his calls for “opening up to China, Iran, and Syria.”
Lawmaker Rola Al-Tabash, member of the Future Parliamentary bloc, said that Nasrallah’s words were like those of a man “who kills a man and (then attends) his funeral.”
Former lawmaker Fadi Karam, member of the Lebanese Forces bloc, said that Hezbollah’s leadership “depict national meltdown as if the solution was only confined to securing foodstuffs from rooftops, balconies, or from the bankrupt axis. For us, life is not only about eating and sleeping, but it is also about education, culture, institutions justice, citizenship, and independent judiciary.”
Meanwhile, Qassem Tajeddine, 64, recently returned to Lebanon after his release from a US prison. The US State Department warned that any US citizen who did business with him would “be subject to severe sanctions.”
Al-Hadath news channel quoted a State Department official saying: “Tajeddine, who provides financial support to Hezbollah, will remain on the US sanctions list and the State Department objects to his release from prison, but respects the court’s decision. Sanctions will be imposed on any American who deals with Tajeddine.”
Tajeddine spent three years in prison, and was released two years before the end of his five-years sentence. In May 2009, Tajeddine was first accused of being an important contributor to Hezbollah; he was arrested in 2017 in Casablanca, Morocco, at the request of US authorities, and was extradited to the US where he was accused of “circumventing the US sanctions against terrorist groups and money laundering.”
US military commander stresses the importance of Lebanon’s stability
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US military commander stresses the importance of Lebanon’s stability
- Gen. McKenzie arrived in Beirut amid protests against the visit organized by supporters of Hezbollah
- This was McKenzie’s fourth visit since he assumed his duties on March 28, 2019
Lebanese army begins securing border with Syria, closes illegal crossings
- Lebanese Army vehicles reached the town’s administrative border as established in official Lebanese state maps
- The development follows communications between the Syrian and Lebanese sides to halt armed clashes that began last Sunday
BEIRUT: The Lebanese army on Wednesday entered the town of Hawsh Al-Sayyid Ali, on Lebanon’s eastern border with the Syrian Arab Republic.
Its vehicles reached the town’s administrative border as established in official Lebanese state maps.
According to these maps, the town is divided into two: one part in Syrian territory, inhabited by Lebanese citizens; and the other in Lebanese territory.
The development follows communications between the Syrian and Lebanese sides to halt armed clashes that began last Sunday as a result of disputes among smugglers in an area teeming with illegal crossings.
The conflict escalated on Monday after the killing of three Syrian gunmen, and evolved into a broader confrontation between Lebanese tribes and armed members of the new Syrian authorities.
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, the clashes and killings resulted in “the death of seven Lebanese citizens and the injury of 52 others.”
Additionally, property and buildings suffered heavy damage in the exchange of shelling between Syrian forces and Lebanese tribes.
Forces affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense entered the Syrian part of the Lebanese town on Monday night.
Negotiations between the Lebanese and Syrian sides over deployment zones, based on border maps between the two countries, delayed the Lebanese army’s deployment for several hours, when a Lebanese army convoy of 60 vehicles arrived on the outskirts of Hawsh Al-Sayyid Ali.
An official source in the area said the Lebanese army’s deployment “was not smooth, as it faced protests related to the confiscation of weapons belonging to local clans. However, the situation soon returned to normal, allowing the army to continue its mission.
The Lebanese army command announced that its units “commenced implementing security measures in the Hawsh Al-Sayyid Ali area of Hermel, including the deployment of patrols, to maintain security and ensure stability in the border region.”
It said the army has taken measures “to close illegal crossings between Lebanon and Syria,” adding: “As part of the efforts to monitor and secure the borders in light of the current situation, and to prevent infiltration and smuggling activities, a unit of the army has closed the illegal crossings, which include Al-Matlaba in the Qasr-Hermel area, as well as Al-Fatha, Al-Maarawiya, and Shahit Al-Hujairi in the Mashari’ Al-Qaa-Baalbek region.”
President Joseph Aoun monitored the security developments along the northeastern border through a series of communications with army chief Gen. Rodolphe Haikal.
According to the presidency, Haikal briefed the president on “the measures being implemented by the army to restore calm and stability to the area.”
Aoun underlined “the importance of consolidating the ceasefire, halting aggression, and controlling the borders adjacent to the villages.”
On Monday he said that the situation on the eastern and northeastern borders cannot persist and that “the army will not allow the chaos to continue.” He then ordered the Lebanese army to respond to the sources of fire.
Subsequently, communications between Lebanon and Syria intensified, including talks between the two countries’ foreign ministers to find solutions to the escalation in border incidents.
These efforts led to a ceasefire agreement between the intelligence services of the two countries after a call between Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Menassa and his Syrian counterpart, Murhaf Abu Qasra.
Syrian media outlets on Tuesday night reported that “Syrian forces seized a Hezbollah operations room in Hawsh Al-Sayyid Ali, which contained large quantities of weapons, ammunition, drugs and equipment used to manufacture counterfeit tobacco.”
After the army’s deployment, displaced families from Hawsh Al-Sayyid Ali on Wednesday started preparing to return to their homes.
Hezbollah has firmly denied any involvement in the border clashes with Syria.
UAE mediates exchange of 350 Russian, Ukrainian war captives
- UAE’s mediation efforts between the warring neighbors led to exchange of 3,233 prisoners of war
- This is the 13th successful mediation led by Abu Dhabi since 2024
LONDON: The UAE facilitated the exchange of 350 prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine as part of mediation efforts to resolve the conflict in Eastern Europe.
On Wednesday, Moscow and Kyiv exchanged 175 Ukrainians and 175 Russians, who were captured amid the ongoing war since February 2022. The UAE’s mediation efforts between the warring neighbors led to the exchange of 3,233 prisoners of war.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs commended Russia and Ukraine for their collaboration with the mediation efforts and their role in the exchange, the Emirates News Agency reported.
This is the 13th successful mediation led by Abu Dhabi since 2024. The ministry added that Abu Dhabi is committed to finding a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine and appreciates both countries’ faith in the UAE as a trusted mediator, the WAM added.
US strikes hit targets in Yemeni capital, Houthi TV reports
- Three residents said the strikes had hit the Al-Jarraf district of Sanaa, close to the city’s airport
- Houthis have carried out over 100 attacks on shipping since Israel’s war with Hamas began in late 2023
SANAA: The United States struck targets in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Wednesday, Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported, the latest in a wave of strikes carried out in retaliation for attacks by the Iran-aligned group on shipping in the Red Sea.
Three residents told Reuters that the strikes had hit the Al-Jarraf district of Sanaa, close to the city’s airport.
The US began the current wave of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen last Saturday, killing at least 31 people in the biggest such operation since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.
Trump also threatened to hold Iran accountable for any future Houthi attacks, warning of severe consequences. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the Houthis were independent and took their own strategic and operational decisions.
Unfazed by the US strikes and threats, the Houthis have said they will escalate their attacks, including on Israel, in response to the US campaign.
On Tuesday the Houthis said they had fired a ballistic missile toward Israel and that they would expand their range of targets in that country in the coming days in retaliation for renewed Israeli airstrikes in Gaza after weeks of relative calm.
The Houthis have carried out over 100 attacks on shipping since Israel’s war with Hamas began in late 2023, saying they were acting in solidarity with Gaza’s Palestinians.
The attacks have disrupted global commerce and set the US military off on a costly campaign to intercept missiles.
UN genocide advisers urge immediate action to deescalate violence in Gaza amid deadly airstrikes
- Senior officials warn of ‘irreversible consequences,’ with hundreds believed killed in strikes
- Call comes amid worsening humanitarian crisis after Israel suspends aid entry to the enclave
NEW YORK: Two senior UN advisers have sounded the alarm over renewed violence in Gaza following a series of deadly Israeli airstrikes, warning the escalation could have “irreversible consequences.”
UN Acting Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Virginia Gamba, and Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, Mo Bleeker, called on all parties involved to prioritize the protection of civilians and immediately deescalate tensions to prevent further loss of life.
The airstrikes, which began on March 18, are the first major military action since a ceasefire was brokered two months ago.
Hundreds of people are believed to have died in the strikes, with many more injured.
In a joint statement, Gamba and Bleeker said: “These developments signal a troubling and dramatic escalation of violence with irreversible consequences. It is essential that the mutual imperatives of peace process, integrating aspects of prevention and protection, are prioritized urgently.”
In addition to the violence, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen. The two advisers expressed concern over Israel’s decision on March 2 to suspend the entry of aid into Gaza, exacerbating the already dire conditions.
Humanitarian organizations, the UN, and several member states have condemned the move, stressing that any further delays in the delivery of essential aid could lead to starvation and further suffering for Gaza’s civilian population.
Gamba and Bleeker also reiterated the need for a comprehensive political solution to the conflict.
“In line with the prevention of genocide and the responsibility to protect frameworks, we urge all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians and take immediate steps to deescalate tensions, prevent further loss of life, and engage in a solid political solution,” said the advisers.
They also echoed the UN secretary-general’s statement of “profound shock at these developments” and his urgent calls “for the ceasefire to be respected, for unimpeded humanitarian access to be restored, and for the unconditional release of all remaining hostages.”
Israel launches a ground operation to retake part of a key corridor in northern Gaza
- Israel used the Netzarim corridor as a military zone which bisected northern Gaza from the south.
DEIR AL-BALAH: Israel said Wednesday it launched a “limited ground operation” in northern Gaza to retake part of a corridor that bisects the territory, and the country's defense minister warned that the army plans to step up the attacks that shattered a two-month ceasefire "with an intensity that you have not seen.”
The military said it had retaken part of the Netzarim corridor, which bisects northern Gaza from the south and from where it had withdrawn as part of the ceasefire with Hamas that began in January.
Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Palestinians in Gaza that the army would again order evacuations from combat zones soon, and that its attacks against Hamas would become more fierce if dozens of hostages held for more than 17 months weren’t freed.
The move appeared to deepen a renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza, which shattered a ceasefire with Hamas.
The Gaza Health Ministry said at least 436 people, including 183 children and 94 women, have been killed since Israel launched the strikes early Tuesday. It said another 678 people have been wounded.
The military says it only strikes militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas because it operates in densely populated areas. Gaza’s Health Ministry records do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The military said in a statement that as part of the new offensive, it struck dozens of militants and militant sites on Wednesday, including the command center of a Hamas battalion.
The war in Gaza, which was paused in January by an internationally-mediated ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, has been among the deadliest conflicts ever for humanitarian workers, according to the UN.
The resumption of fighting launched by Israel early Tuesday risks plunging the region back into all-out war. It came weeks after the end of the first phase of the ceasefire, during which Israel and Hamas exchanged hostages for prisoners and were set to negotiate an extension to the truce that was meant to bring about an eventual end to the war.
But those negotiations never got off the ground. Hamas has demanded that Israel stick to the terms of the initial ceasefire deal, including a full withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war. Israel, which has vowed to defeat Hamas, has put forward a new proposal that would extend the truce and free more hostages held by Hamas, without a commitment to end the war.
