Lebanon: Geagea Says Axis of the Resistance is ‘Criminal’

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea during the annual ceremony commemorating the Martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance.
Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea during the annual ceremony commemorating the Martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance.
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Lebanon: Geagea Says Axis of the Resistance is ‘Criminal’

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea during the annual ceremony commemorating the Martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance.
Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea during the annual ceremony commemorating the Martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea described Hezbollah and its allies as being a “criminal gang”, stating that their “alleged” calls for dialogue are only a way to “strangle, kill, and force you to do what they please”.

“The axis of the resistance (Hezbollah and allies) obstruct the presidential elections only because they are incapable of bringing their own candidate to the post, and also accept no other”, said Geagea whose remarks came on Sunday during the annual ceremony commemorating the “Martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance”.

He spoke of “serious attempts to change everything in our lives and country to match the specifications of countries of “axis of the resistance” starting with Syria and Iran. Meanwhile we support Lebanon that seeks to have the best relations with Gulf and Arab countries in order for Lebanon to face Syria’s Assad and Iran.”

The LF leader lamented the enormous deterioration that the country has gone through under the impact of the ‘axis of the resistance’.

“The axis of the resistance in Lebanon behaves of its own will,” without any respect for the law, constitution or the will of the Lebanese, he said.

Under its influence, Lebanon has turned from a country famous for its culture, advancement and dignity to a country of backwardness, crime, drug trafficking, hunger and poverty, lamented Geagea.

“The big problem lies in the way they (Hezbollah) force in their own project by assassinations and using all the twisted manners that no human mind can imagine,” added Geagea.

Referring to Hezbollah leaders who he said always preach about “integrity”, he said: “Those same figures have supported corruption groups in the past decade in order to get major portfolios in ministries of services which have cost the state tens of billions of dollars, and obstructed the formation of a cabinet in order to garner the ministries of energy and labor for their own allies”.

Criticizing his Christian rival and Hezbollah ally, the Free Patriotic Movement, without naming the party, Geagea said: “Despite the practices of the axis of the resistance, we continue to find some sides adamant to strike deals with (Hezbollah)..” in order to reach authority positions, mainly the post of President.

He added that the FPM is eager to bring its own candidate to the post of president stretching off to the limit of obstructing the election process in the absence of guarantees that an FPM candidate is definite to win.



Indonesia Minister Says Gaza Deployment Hinges on Board of Peace Dynamic

Indonesia's Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin speaks to journalists following his meeting with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Indonesia's Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin speaks to journalists following his meeting with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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Indonesia Minister Says Gaza Deployment Hinges on Board of Peace Dynamic

Indonesia's Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin speaks to journalists following his meeting with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Indonesia's Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin speaks to journalists following his meeting with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Indonesia's deployments for the international security force in Gaza would ‌depend ‌on ​the current ‌dynamic ⁠of ​the Board ⁠of Peace, its defense minister said on Thursday.

Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin ⁠told reporters ‌Indonesia ‌had ​been prepared ‌to send ‌20,000 troops for the force but was ‌now ready to deploy 8,000, introduced ⁠gradually, ⁠adding that other countries had pledged to send lower numbers.

The Board of Peace (BoP) is an international organization established by US President Donald Trump, chaired by him for life, and formally instituted in January 2026. Its primary purpose is to oversee the implementation of the Gaza peace plan, including managing ceasefire processes, coordinating reconstruction, mobilizing international resources, ensuring accountability, and facilitating the transition of Gaza from conflict to stability. 


Italian Base in Iraqi Kurdistan Hit by Missile, Says Defense Ministry

Italian Defense Minister Guido ‌Crosetto (Italian Defense Ministry)
Italian Defense Minister Guido ‌Crosetto (Italian Defense Ministry)
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Italian Base in Iraqi Kurdistan Hit by Missile, Says Defense Ministry

Italian Defense Minister Guido ‌Crosetto (Italian Defense Ministry)
Italian Defense Minister Guido ‌Crosetto (Italian Defense Ministry)

An Italian military base in Iraqi Kurdistan was struck by a missile overnight though no injuries were reported, the Italian defense ministry said on Thursday.

"A missile hit our ‌base in ‌Erbil. There are ‌no ⁠casualties or injuries among ⁠the Italian personnel. They are all fine," the ministry said on X shortly after midnight ⁠on Thursday.

Defense Minister Guido ‌Crosetto ‌has been in constant ‌contact with senior military ‌commanders over the incident, the ministry added.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in ‌a separate message on X that Italian military ⁠personnel ⁠had taken shelter in a bunker and all were "well and safe", said Reuters.

Italy has around 300 troops in Erbil, working on training Kurdish security forces, the defense ministry said on its website.


Lebanon Says 7 Killed in Israeli Strike on Central Beirut

Police officers inspect a damaged car hit in an Israeli airstrike at the Ramlet al-Baida public beach in Beirut, Lebanon, early Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Police officers inspect a damaged car hit in an Israeli airstrike at the Ramlet al-Baida public beach in Beirut, Lebanon, early Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
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Lebanon Says 7 Killed in Israeli Strike on Central Beirut

Police officers inspect a damaged car hit in an Israeli airstrike at the Ramlet al-Baida public beach in Beirut, Lebanon, early Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Police officers inspect a damaged car hit in an Israeli airstrike at the Ramlet al-Baida public beach in Beirut, Lebanon, early Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

Lebanon said an Israeli strike on central Beirut's seafront killed at least seven people early on Thursday, another attack in the heart of the capital as Iran-backed Hezbollah launched more missiles at Israel.

The Israeli military said separately it had carried out strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs overnight against Hezbollah, which had announced a major new operation against Israel.

Local media aired footage showing smoke rising along the seaside road area after the strike in central Beirut, which state-run National News Agency (NNA) said targeted a car.

"The Israeli enemy strike on Ramlet al-Bayda in Beirut led to an initial toll of seven dead and 21 wounded," the health ministry said in a statement.

It was the third attack in the heart of the capital since the Middle East war began. Israel has also repeatedly hit the southern suburbs of Beirut where Israeli military said on Thursday it had hit 10 Hezbollah targets.

The NNA reported on Thursday that Israeli strikes had also hit several towns in southern Lebanon, including Taybeh and al-Sultaniyya as well as Qana, near the city of Tyre.

Hezbollah said early Thursday that it had fired off missiles at an Israeli military intelligence base in the suburbs of Tel Aviv.

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.

Israel, which kept up its strikes in Lebanon even before the war despite a 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah, has since launched air raids across Lebanon and sent ground troops into border areas.

Its offensive has killed more than 630 people, according to Lebanese authorities, while more than 800,000 people have registered as displaced, with around 126,000 of them staying in collective shelters.

Some displaced people have been sleeping out in the open or in tents on the streets of Beirut, including in the seaside area of Ramlet al-Bayda.

- Hezbollah operation -

Late Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron called for Israel to halt its ground offensive in Lebanon and on Iran-backed group Hezbollah to "immediately" stop attacks, after speaking with the country's president Joseph Aoun.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said earlier that they had carried out a joint missile operation with ally Hezbollah against targets in Israel.

In turn, the Israeli military said early Thursday that "over the past hours, the Israeli army has begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting terror infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization across Lebanon."

It also said it hit "dozens of launchers" as well as Hezbollah intelligence and command sites in south Beirut.

It followed a string of Hezbollah statements saying its fighters fired barrages of rockets, advanced missiles and drones at towns, military bases and other locations, mainly in the Israel's north.

On Wednesday, Israel pounded south Beirut and the country's south and east, with the health ministry reporting several strikes that each killed at least eight people.

Authorities said a strike on an apartment in the densely populated Aisha Bakkar area in central Beirut wounded four people.

On Sunday, Israel hit a seafront hotel not far from Ramlet al-Bayda, saying it was targeting Iranian foreign operations officers. Iran later said the raid killed four of its diplomats.