Britain Reopens its Embassy in Libya After 8 Years Hiatus

Ambassador Caroline Hurndall planting a tree at the reopening of the embassy in Tripoli (British Embassy)
Ambassador Caroline Hurndall planting a tree at the reopening of the embassy in Tripoli (British Embassy)
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Britain Reopens its Embassy in Libya After 8 Years Hiatus

Ambassador Caroline Hurndall planting a tree at the reopening of the embassy in Tripoli (British Embassy)
Ambassador Caroline Hurndall planting a tree at the reopening of the embassy in Tripoli (British Embassy)

Britain reopened its embassy in Libya after an eight years hiatus. British ambassador Caroline Hurndall announced the reopening at an event celebrating Queen Elisabeth II's official birthday and the Queen's Platinum Jubilee at the old embassy compound in Tripoli.

Hurndall announced the reopening on her Twitter account saying: "I announced this evening that Britain is reopening our British Embassy here in Libya. This is a demonstration of British commitment to the whole of Libya. I am proud our work touches the lives of Libyans across the whole country already."

She reiterated that if "Libya is to fulfill her political and economic potential, Libya's leaders must continue to implement the October Ceasefire Agreement, work together, and pursue compromise, cooperation, and concord. The people of Libya deserve this."

The head of the interim Libyan unity government Abdulhamid Dbeibeh expressed his happiness at Britain's joining of the countries that reopened their embassies.

Dbeibeh stressed the need for this to be reflected in providing better services to Libyan citizens who wish to obtain visas and other services.

He hoped the move would boost bilateral relations between the two countries.

The announcement was made at the embassy's celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, marking seventy years of service to the people of the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth.



Israeli Strikes Kill 12 in Lebanon, including 5 Hezbollah Fighters

Women walk near destroyed buildings, with one holding the flag of Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, after an Israeli military spokesperson said that Israel would keep troops in several posts in southern Lebanon past the deadline for them to withdraw, February 18, 2025 - Reuters reported.
Women walk near destroyed buildings, with one holding the flag of Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, after an Israeli military spokesperson said that Israel would keep troops in several posts in southern Lebanon past the deadline for them to withdraw, February 18, 2025 - Reuters reported.
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Israeli Strikes Kill 12 in Lebanon, including 5 Hezbollah Fighters

Women walk near destroyed buildings, with one holding the flag of Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, after an Israeli military spokesperson said that Israel would keep troops in several posts in southern Lebanon past the deadline for them to withdraw, February 18, 2025 - Reuters reported.
Women walk near destroyed buildings, with one holding the flag of Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, after an Israeli military spokesperson said that Israel would keep troops in several posts in southern Lebanon past the deadline for them to withdraw, February 18, 2025 - Reuters reported.

Heavy Israeli airstrikes killed 12 people, including five Hezbollah fighters, in eastern Lebanon on Tuesday, a security source in Lebanon said, in what Israel said was a warning to the Iran-backed group against trying to re-establish itself.

The Israeli military said the airstrikes targeted training camps used by elite Hezbollah fighters and warehouses it used to store weapons in the Bekaa Valley region of eastern Lebanon.

The airstrikes were the deadliest on the area since a US-brokered ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel last November. Bachir Khodr, governor of the Bekaa region, said seven of the dead were Syrian nationals.

Israel dealt Hezbollah heavy blows in last year's conflict, killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah along with other commanders and destroying much of its arsenal.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday's strikes sent a "clear message" to Hezbollah, accusing it of planning to rebuild the capability to raid Israel through the elite Radwan force, Reuters reported.

Israel "will respond with maximum force to any attempt at rebuilding", he said. He added that strikes were also a message to the Lebanese government, saying it was responsible for upholding the ceasefire agreement.

There was no immediate public response from Hezbollah or from the Lebanese government to the latest Israeli strikes.

The United States has submitted a proposal to the Lebanese government aimed at securing Hezbollah's disarmament within four months in exchange for Israel halting airstrikes and withdrawing troops from positions they still hold in south Lebanon.

Under the terms of the ceasefire brokered by the US and France, Lebanon's armed forces were to confiscate "all unauthorized arms", beginning in the area south of the Litani River - the zone closest to Israel.