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Arab World Supports King Abdullah’s Efforts to Preserve Jordan’s Security

In this photo released by the Royal Hashemite Court, Jordan's King Abdullah II gives a speech during the inauguration of the 19th Parliament’s non-ordinary session, Amman, Jordan, Dec. 10, 2020. (AP)
In this photo released by the Royal Hashemite Court, Jordan's King Abdullah II gives a speech during the inauguration of the 19th Parliament’s non-ordinary session, Amman, Jordan, Dec. 10, 2020. (AP)
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Arab World Supports King Abdullah’s Efforts to Preserve Jordan’s Security

In this photo released by the Royal Hashemite Court, Jordan's King Abdullah II gives a speech during the inauguration of the 19th Parliament’s non-ordinary session, Amman, Jordan, Dec. 10, 2020. (AP)
In this photo released by the Royal Hashemite Court, Jordan's King Abdullah II gives a speech during the inauguration of the 19th Parliament’s non-ordinary session, Amman, Jordan, Dec. 10, 2020. (AP)

The Arab world threw its support behind King Abdullah II and the measures taken to preserve Jordan’s security and stability.

King Abdullah’s half-brother and former Crown Prince Hamza bin Hussein was told to halt actions used to target the country’s “security and stability”, the military said on Saturday.

In a statement published by the state news agency, it said the action was part of a broader security investigation in which a former minister, a member of the royal family and some other unidentified individuals were detained.

Egypt voiced support for King Abdullah and his efforts “to maintain the security and stability of the kingdom against any attempts to undermine it,” its presidency spokesman wrote on Facebook.

Oman completely stands by Jordan under the leadership of King Abdullah and firmly supports anything that preserves Jordan's security, sovereignty and stability, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa affirmed full support to the decisions and measures taken by HM King Abdulla II Ibn Al Hussein of Jordan to maintain his country’s security and stability and defuse all disruptive attempts,” state news agency BNA said.

In a statement on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) website, Secretary-General Dr. Nayef al-Hajraf said the grouping “affirmed the full support of the Cooperation Council for all decisions and measures taken by His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, to preserve the security and stability of brotherly Jordan, wishing brotherly Jordan continued security and stability under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Highness, the faithful Crown Prince.”

“Jordan’s security and safety is a fundamental basis for the security and safety of the Arab world,” Lebanese Prime Minister designate Saad al-Hariri said on Twitter.

“All the solidarity with the Jordanian leadership and King Abdullah in defending the gains of the Jordanian people, protecting their stability, and refusing interference in their affairs.”

Kuwait’s foreign ministry expressed its “support to all the measures taken by Jordan’s King Abdullah and his Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, to maintain the security and stability of the kingdom”, adding “The security and stability of the kingdom are that of Kuwait”.

“The Iraqi government affirms that it stands with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, in any steps taken to preserve the security and stability of the country and take care of the interests of the brotherly people of Jordan, in a way that boosts their presence, by relying on measures that aim to extend the respect of the state,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“Qatar expressed its full solidarity with the sisterly Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and its full support to the decisions and measures issued by His Majesty King Abdullah to preserve the security, stability, and boost the process of progress and prosperity in the country,” state news agency QNA said.

“Qatar affirmed that the security and stability of Jordan is an integral part of its security and stability, and stressed that the developed strategic relations between the two brotherly countries will remain an honest and strong guard against any attempts to undermine the security and stability in the two countries and the region.”

Yemen’s legitimate government “affirms its absolute support and its complete stand with all measures aimed at preserving Jordan’s security”, state news agency Saba said.

“Yemen affirms its absolute support and totally stands with all decisions and measures taken by His Majesty King Abdullah aimed at maintaining security and ending any attempts to destabilize the sisterly Kingdom of Jordan.”

“Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that we stand by the sisterly Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the king, the government, and the people,” official Palestinian news agency WAFA said in a statement.

“We support the decisions taken by King Abdullah II to preserve Jordan’s security and ensure its stability and unity.

“We support the steps taken by King Abdullah to maintain Jordanian national security, stressing that Jordan’s security and stability is a supreme Palestinian interest.”

Morocco's King Mohammed VI held a phone call with King Abdullah on Sunday to express solidarity and support for security measures taken by Jordanian's authorities, Morocco's royal palace said on Sunday.

“The secretary-general of the Arab League expressed full solidarity with the measures taken by the Jordanian leadership to maintain the security of the kingdom and maintain the stability,” the Arab League said in a statement on its Facebook page, citing Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

“He also stressed his confidence in the leadership’s wisdom and its keenness to secure the country’s stability in parallel with the respect for the constitution and the law.

“Ahmed Aboul Gheit added that King Abdullah II has a high and appreciated position, whether among the Jordanian people or on the Arab level in general, and that everyone knows his sincerity and his great role in serving Arab causes.”

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Arab World

Lebanese Villagers Return to Find Homes in Ruins

Khadija Amara, whom local residents said had not left her home, fills a jerrycan with water as she sits among the rubble of a house, which was damaged by an Israeli strike, in Qlaileh in the Tyre district, southern Lebanon, June 19, 2026. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra
Khadija Amara, whom local residents said had not left her home, fills a jerrycan with water as she sits among the rubble of a house, which was damaged by an Israeli strike, in Qlaileh in the Tyre district, southern Lebanon, June 19, 2026. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra
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Lebanese Villagers Return to Find Homes in Ruins

Khadija Amara, whom local residents said had not left her home, fills a jerrycan with water as she sits among the rubble of a house, which was damaged by an Israeli strike, in Qlaileh in the Tyre district, southern Lebanon, June 19, 2026. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra
Khadija Amara, whom local residents said had not left her home, fills a jerrycan with water as she sits among the rubble of a house, which was damaged by an Israeli strike, in Qlaileh in the Tyre district, southern Lebanon, June 19, 2026. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Abed Hachem rebuilt his home when it was damaged in a conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militants in 2024, but is at a loss now that most of his village has been destroyed in Israel's latest round of strikes.

Where his house once stood in Qlaileh is now rubble; where his garden bloomed, dust, with more dust covering the toys and furniture strewn around the remains of his living room.

"Oh dear... Oh God. There was a building here... here... there was a building here," the 46-year-old father of three said as he pointed to the husks of buildings that once housed his neighbors, Reuters reported.

The spire of the local mosque is one of few structures still standing.

The latest round of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel erupted on March 2, when Hezbollah fired at Israel in support of its ally Iran, drawing Lebanon into the regional war. Israel responded with air strikes and a ground invasion that occupied parts of southern Lebanon.

More than 3,900 people have been killed, and 1.2 million people have been displaced, with Israel's forced evacuation orders emptying entire villages in southern Lebanon.

Israel says its campaign was aimed at Hezbollah's forces and military infrastructure.

Now, as people like Hachem return to their homes and try to stitch their lives back together, they are reckoning with the heartbreak of seeing their communities wiped out.

"The whole village is destroyed. My house is destroyed. The village is destroyed. Where are we supposed to go now?" he said. "There is nothing left. A lifetime's work is all gone."

His neighbor, a man Hachem saw as a brother, and with whom he shared a cup of tea every morning, has been killed, along with his son.

"They have nothing to do with political parties, nothing to do with weapons, nothing to do with wars," he added, his frustration mounting. "The man was just trying to support his family, and he and his son died for nothing."

The interim deal announced between the United States and Iran brought a lull to the fighting in Lebanon earlier this week, allowing displaced people like Hachem to return home. Fighting flared again before a new ceasefire came into effect on Friday afternoon.

Hachem just wishes peace had come sooner.

"This agreement they reached, they should have made it from the very beginning," he said. "Not after people were destroyed."

Arab World

Gaza Factions Consult on Response to Mladenov's Amendment

Mourners react during the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle, according to medics, in Gaza City, June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Mourners react during the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle, according to medics, in Gaza City, June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
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Gaza Factions Consult on Response to Mladenov's Amendment

Mourners react during the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle, according to medics, in Gaza City, June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Mourners react during the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle, according to medics, in Gaza City, June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas

Palestinian factions are reviewing amendments presented by Nickolay Mladenov, the High Representative for Gaza at the Board of Peace, to Hamas during a meeting with mediators in Cairo on Wednesday.

Asharq Al Awsat has learned from sources within Hamas and other Palestinian factions that consultations are underway both within individual factions and among the factions collectively.

A Hamas source and two Palestinian faction sources said that faction representatives will hold an extended meeting in Cairo to discuss Mladenov's response to the latest amendments that the factions submitted to mediators several days ago.

According to the Hamas source, Mladenov's amendments covered all provisions, not only the eighth clause concerning the restriction and storage of weapons. The source added that the term "infrastructure," which has been a point of disagreement both among the factions and in discussions with mediators, was also included.

The source said Hamas leaders are holding internal consultations, as well as discussions with relevant bodies, including the leadership of the movement's military wing, the Izz ad Din al Qassam Brigades, inside Gaza, regarding the proposed amendments. He added that specific wording will be agreed upon before being presented to the factions for review and comment, with the aim of reaching a unified national position to submit to the mediators.

The source also noted that a representative of the US administration, one of the aides to US envoy Jared Kushner, participated in the meeting between Mladenov and Hamas leaders held in Cairo on Wednesday in the presence of the mediators.

Two Palestinian faction sources said that internal consultations are taking place within each faction and that a comprehensive national meeting will be convened to formulate observations on Mladenov's amendments. They said the latest proposals will be examined and compared with the revisions made by the factions in their most recent response, with efforts focused on narrowing differences in wording to facilitate further progress following recent advances.

One of the remaining points of contention is the term "infrastructure" and how it should be defined. Some factions had advised Hamas to include the term within the eighth clause dealing with the restriction and storage of weapons. However, the movement's leadership considered the definition too broad and argued that consensus on its meaning must be reached before Mladenov incorporates it into his amendments in coordination with the mediators. As a result, the issue has become a central focus of consultations both within and among the factions.

Some faction leaders had advised Hamas that the definition of infrastructure should be limited to tunnels, weapons manufacturing workshops, and weapons storage facilities, without extending to additional elements such as personnel, military sites, vehicles, or other assets.

Palestinians sit overlooking a tent camp sheltering displaced people, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

These developments come amid continued Israeli military escalation on the ground. Early Friday, three Palestinians were wounded when an artillery shell landed near their tent in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Two others were injured by gunfire from military vehicles and drones in areas near the Yellow Line.

On Friday morning, members of armed gangs in northern Gaza advanced the Yellow Line by approximately 200 meters westward from the Al Alami area of Jabalia camp, causing a new wave of displacement among families living nearby. The move aimed to expand the areas of Gaza under Israeli control, following similar steps taken by Israeli forces in several locations across the Strip in recent days.

Meanwhile, a number of Israeli military and engineering vehicles advanced east of Deir al Balah toward the south, west of the Yellow Line, carrying out demolition operations against homes in the area.

On Thursday, Israeli forces killed five Palestinians in two airstrikes and through gunfire from military vehicles and drones in several areas of the Gaza Strip.

The number of Palestinian casualties since the ceasefire entered into force on October 10, 2025, has risen to more than 1,000 dead and over 3,000 wounded.

Arab World

Israel, Hezbollah Agree Ceasefire as US-Iran Deal Under Strain

An Israeli flag tagged on a building in the southern Lebanese village of Taybeh, as seen from the Israeli side of the border in the Upper Galilee, northern Israel, 17 June 2026. EPA/ATEF SAFADI
An Israeli flag tagged on a building in the southern Lebanese village of Taybeh, as seen from the Israeli side of the border in the Upper Galilee, northern Israel, 17 June 2026. EPA/ATEF SAFADI
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Israel, Hezbollah Agree Ceasefire as US-Iran Deal Under Strain

An Israeli flag tagged on a building in the southern Lebanese village of Taybeh, as seen from the Israeli side of the border in the Upper Galilee, northern Israel, 17 June 2026. EPA/ATEF SAFADI
An Israeli flag tagged on a building in the southern Lebanese village of Taybeh, as seen from the Israeli side of the border in the Upper Galilee, northern Israel, 17 June 2026. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

Israel and Hezbollah agreed a ceasefire on Friday, a US official said, after deadly exchanges between the two sides in Lebanon put a deal to end the Middle East war under strain less than two days after it was signed.

Talks that were scheduled for Friday between the US and Iran in Switzerland to take the deal to the next stage were postponed amid the fighting, with no new date announced, AFP reported.

Tehran's top negotiator warned it would not bend on its red lines and that its finger was still "on the trigger", even as shipping appeared to pick up in the Strait of Hormuz, which had essentially been closed during the war.

The deal signed this week by President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian aims to end a war that began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes that killed supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

The agreement was also meant to halt the fighting in Lebanon, which Iran has always insisted should be covered under any accord, turning Israel's ongoing campaign there into a source of frustration for Washington.

Israel's military said Friday that it had struck more than 80 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and killed dozens of members of the Iran-backed group.

Lebanon said 21 people were killed Friday in Israeli airstrikes in the south, while Israel's military reported four troops were killed, drawing furious reactions at home.

But a US official told AFP a truce between Israel and Hezbollah, beginning immediately, had been brokered by US and Qatari mediators following talks with Israel and Iran. A Gulf diplomat confirmed the ceasefire.

A previous truce agreed in April, however, did nothing to stop attacks by either side, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said just hours earlier that the Israeli army would stay in Lebanon "as long as necessary" and would make Iran-backed Hezbollah pay a "heavy price" for its attacks.

Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir went even further, saying after the soldiers' deaths that "all of Lebanon must burn".

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israel of only being interested in "permanent war".

Preparations had been made to host Iranian and US delegations led by Tehran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and US Vice President JD Vance at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock, overlooking Lake Lucerne.

The talks were due to kick off a two-month period of negotiations to discuss outstanding issues not covered by the initial deal, notably Iran's nuclear program.

Switzerland's foreign ministry confirmed the discussions had been postponed but said it "remains ready to facilitate these talks".

Quoting diplomats, the Financial Times said Israel's strikes on Lebanon had led to the postponement but there was no immediate confirmation.

Ghalibaf said on Friday that talks with the United States would remain bound by Tehran's "red lines".

"If the enemy seeks to be excessive, we have proven that our fingers are on the trigger and we have no hesitation in giving a crushing response to the enemy," he said in remarks published by the official IRNA news agency.

Vance, meanwhile, has expressed a degree of exasperation with the Israeli government rare for a top US official, telling the New York Times "you can't just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have".

Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father, said Thursday that he had approved the accord with the US, despite holding a "different view".

A key aspect of the deal was the immediate re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the key shipping bottleneck whose closure caused global energy prices to rise.

A total of 25 commercial vessels crossed the newly-reopened strait on Thursday, the highest number since mid-April, according to data from maritime tracking firm AXSMarine published on Friday.

A fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas exports passed through the strait in peacetime, according to economists.

American forces on Thursday lifted their parallel naval blockade of Iranian ports, the US military said, noting that American warships "will remain in the general area".

Iran's maritime authority said on Friday that all ships seeking to cross the Strait of Hormuz should submit a transit request "48 hours in advance", despite its reopening.