عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Lebanon to Complain to UN, Saying Israel Disrupts Navigation Systems

(FILES) Middle East Airlines' A321NEO plane is seen on the tarmac of Rafik Hariri international airport in the Lebanese capital Beirut, on August 10, 2022. (Photo by Roy ISSA / AFP)
(FILES) Middle East Airlines' A321NEO plane is seen on the tarmac of Rafik Hariri international airport in the Lebanese capital Beirut, on August 10, 2022. (Photo by Roy ISSA / AFP)
TT
TT

Lebanon to Complain to UN, Saying Israel Disrupts Navigation Systems

(FILES) Middle East Airlines' A321NEO plane is seen on the tarmac of Rafik Hariri international airport in the Lebanese capital Beirut, on August 10, 2022. (Photo by Roy ISSA / AFP)
(FILES) Middle East Airlines' A321NEO plane is seen on the tarmac of Rafik Hariri international airport in the Lebanese capital Beirut, on August 10, 2022. (Photo by Roy ISSA / AFP)

Lebanon will file an urgent complaint with the UN Security Council over what it called Israel's violation of its sovereignty by disrupting its navigation systems, the foreign ministry said on Friday.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said Israel was affecting the safety of civil aviation in the airspace of Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport.
"Lebanon also holds Israel internationally responsible for the consequences of any accident or disaster caused by Israel's deliberate policy of jamming air and ground navigation systems, and deliberately disrupting signal receiving and transmitting devices," the statement read.
Lebanon did not provide specific details regarding the nature of Israel's actions disrupting its navigation systems, Reuters said.
"Lebanon enables and allows Hezbollah to attack Israeli civilians from its territory," an Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson said.
"Lebanon is the last country to discuss sovereignty while it is harboring a terrorist organization that has displaced tens of thousands of citizens."
The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel have been locked in hostilities since war broke out in Gaza five months ago, trading fire across the border.
It has marked the worst conflict between the heavily armed adversaries since a 2006 war, fueling fears of an even bigger confrontation. The border violence has forced tens of thousands on both sides to flee and raised fears the conflict in Gaza could spiral into the rest of the region.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Ankara: Assad Does Not Want Peace in Syria

Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
TT
TT

Ankara: Assad Does Not Want Peace in Syria

Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is unwilling to pursue peace in Syria and warned that Israel’s efforts to spread war across the Middle East are undermining the environment fostered by the Astana Process.

Fidan emphasized the importance of Russian and Iranian efforts within the framework of the Astana Process to maintain calm on the ground, pointing to ongoing consultations with the US regarding the Syrian crisis.

Speaking during a parliamentary session discussing the 2025 budget of the Foreign Ministry, Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s expectation that the dialogue proposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be approached strategically by the Syrian government, with priority given to the interests of the Syrian people.

Regarding Erdogan’s invitation to Assad for a meeting to discuss the normalization of ties between Ankara and Damascus, Fidan remarked that the matter depends on political will, stressing that the Turkish president has demonstrated his readiness at the highest level.

Last week, Erdogan reiterated the possibility of a meeting with Assad, but Russia, which mediates the normalization talks between Ankara and Damascus, ruled out such a meeting or high-level engagements in the near future.

Russian Presidential Envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev attributed the impasse to Türkiye’s refusal to meet Damascus’ demand for a withdrawal from northern Syria, accusing Ankara of acting as an “occupying state”.

Although Türkiye has not officially responded to Lavrentiev’s comments, which reflect a shift in Russia’s stance, Fidan stated in a televised interview last week that Russia remains “somewhat neutral” regarding the normalization process. He also urged the Syrian government to create conditions for the return of 10 million Syrian refugees.

Türkiye maintains that its military presence in northern Syria prevents the country’s division, blocks the establishment of a “terror corridor” along its southern border, and deters new waves of refugees from entering its territory.

Fidan outlined his country’s key objectives in Syria, which include eradicating terrorist groups (such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the Syrian Democratic Forces), preserving Syria’s territorial unity, advancing the political process, and ensuring the safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees.

Meanwhile, Turkish artillery targeted villages and positions controlled by the Manbij Military Council, affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), whose main component is the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

On Friday, fierce clashes erupted between the Syrian National Army factions and the SDF in western Tel Abyad, northern Raqqa. Simultaneously, Turkish artillery strikes reportedly killed two SDF members and injured others, with reports of captives and missing personnel.

In retaliation, the SDF shelled Turkish bases in the Ain Issa countryside. Turkish forces responded by deploying military reinforcements amid heightened alert at their bases in Raqqa’s countryside, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).