Rubio Says Immediate US Goal on Sudan is Cessation of Hostilities into New Year

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio whispers in the ear of President Donald Trump during a roundtable about Antifa in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 8, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) / AFP PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2025
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio whispers in the ear of President Donald Trump during a roundtable about Antifa in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 8, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) / AFP PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2025
TT

Rubio Says Immediate US Goal on Sudan is Cessation of Hostilities into New Year

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio whispers in the ear of President Donald Trump during a roundtable about Antifa in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 8, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) / AFP PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2025
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio whispers in the ear of President Donald Trump during a roundtable about Antifa in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 8, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) / AFP PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2025

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday said Washington's immediate goal on Sudan is a cessation of hostilities going into the new year that allows humanitarian organizations to deliver assistance.

Rubio, speaking to reporters at a news conference, said that Washington was engaging with the parties involved. "We've had the right and appropriate conversations with ‌all sides of this ‌conflict, because that is their ‌leverage. ⁠Without their support, ‌neither side can continue. So that's why we need to engage, and that's why we've engaged the parties involved in all of this," Rubio said.
"We think that outside actors have the leverage and the influence over the players on the ground to bring about this humanitarian truce, and we are very focused ⁠on it.

I had a conversation on it yesterday. We have spoken to ‌the UAE, we've spoken to Saudi, we've ‍spoken to Egypt," he added.
US ‍President Donald Trump said last week he would intervene ‍to stop the conflict between the army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023 out of a power struggle and has triggered famine, ethnic killings and mass displacement in Sudan, Reuters said.
Previous efforts led by the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates have failed to bear fruit. The group submitted ⁠a proposal to the two forces in September.
Sudan this month once again topped a watchlist of global humanitarian crises released by the International Rescue Committee aid organization, as warring sides press on with the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people.
More than 12 million people have already been displaced by the ongoing war in the African nation, where humanitarian workers lack resources to help those ‌fleeing, many of whom have been raped, robbed or bereaved by the violence.



Lebanon Prepares for Possible Negotiations with Israel: Forming Delegation and Coordinating with Syria

A plume of smoke billows following reported Israeli strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 13, 2026. (Reuters)
A plume of smoke billows following reported Israeli strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 13, 2026. (Reuters)
TT

Lebanon Prepares for Possible Negotiations with Israel: Forming Delegation and Coordinating with Syria

A plume of smoke billows following reported Israeli strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 13, 2026. (Reuters)
A plume of smoke billows following reported Israeli strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 13, 2026. (Reuters)

Lebanon has started to make preparations ahead of the possibility of holding direct negotiations with Israel, based on an initiative proposed by President Joseph Aoun to end Israel’s war on Lebanon.

Diplomatic and political contacts have also been intensifying amid the rapid developments in Lebanon and the region.

Aoun held a joint telephone call with his Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday to address the developments. They agreed to keep channels of communication open to follow up on issues, said the Lebanese presidency.

For his part, Macron underscored the importance of coordination launched by the Lebanese and Syrian leaderships, saying France will continue to support it. Sharaa backs the Lebanese authorities’ efforts to reclaim full control of its territories.

Macron called on Israel to cease its attacks on Lebanon, while accusing Hezbollah of making a “major mistake in dragging Lebanon into a confrontation with Israel.”

Ministerial sources close to the presidency told Asharq Al-Awsat that the call was made at Macron’s request, who believes that negotiations should cover various paths and should not be limited to just talks between Lebanon and Israel.

They should also include negotiations between Syria and Israel, border issues and pending affairs between them. Negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, Syria and Israel and between all three could lead to connected results, especially over the border, notably the Shebaa Farms.

Lebanon has yet to receive a receptive response from the concerned parties, particularly Israel and the United States, which should sponsor any possible talks.

Regardless, the sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Lebanon has kicked off steps to engage in negotiations with Israel. It has started to form a delegation that will head to Cyprus should negotiations get a green light.

The delegation will include Ambassador Abdel Sattar Issa, who was chosen by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to represent Sunnis, former Ambassador Simon Karam, who will represent Maronites, Shawki Abou Nassar, who will represent the Druze. Discussions are underway to name an Orthodox representative.

No Shiite has been named to the delegation, said the sources, with parliament Speaker Nabih Berri refusing to name one. He instead said that the Mechanism committee should handle talks until a ceasefire is reached.

On the diplomatic level, Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi received a telephone call from Hamish Faulkner, Minister for the Middle East and North Africa at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to discuss the situation in Lebanon.

Faulkner expressed his country’s solidarity with Lebanon, saying it was ready to offer humanitarian support and work with the concerned parties towards a ceasefire.

Raggi also received a similar phone call from his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares.


US Military Refueling Plane Crashes in Iraq

An F-16 fighter jet being refueled in the air by a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker (CENTCOM)
An F-16 fighter jet being refueled in the air by a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker (CENTCOM)
TT

US Military Refueling Plane Crashes in Iraq

An F-16 fighter jet being refueled in the air by a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker (CENTCOM)
An F-16 fighter jet being refueled in the air by a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker (CENTCOM)

An American military refueling plane taking part in the operation against Iran crashed in Iraq and rescue efforts were underway, US Central Command said Thursday.

It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties. A US official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the developing situation, said the KC-135 aircraft that crashed had at least five crew members aboard.

The crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire, the military said in a statement, which described the plane as “a loss.”

US Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said that two aircraft were involved and that one landed safely and the other went down in western Iraq.

A second US official, who similarly spoke on condition of anonymity, said the other plane involved also was a KC-135 tanker.

“More information will be made available as the situation develops,” Central Command said. “We ask for continued patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members.”

The tanker is the fourth publicly acknowledged aircraft to crash as part of the US military’s operations against Iran. Last week, three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire.

All six crew members safely ejected from the F-15E Strike Eagles and were in stable condition after being recovered, the US said.

Seven American troops have been killed in combat during the Iran war so far, while about 140 US service members have been injured, including eight severely, the Pentagon said earlier this week.

Both President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have warned that the Iran war would likely claim more American lives before it ends.


French Soldier Killed in Drone Attack in Iraq

A plume of smoke rises following an interception of a drone in Erbil on March 12, 2026. (Photo by Shvan HARKI / AFP)
A plume of smoke rises following an interception of a drone in Erbil on March 12, 2026. (Photo by Shvan HARKI / AFP)
TT

French Soldier Killed in Drone Attack in Iraq

A plume of smoke rises following an interception of a drone in Erbil on March 12, 2026. (Photo by Shvan HARKI / AFP)
A plume of smoke rises following an interception of a drone in Erbil on March 12, 2026. (Photo by Shvan HARKI / AFP)

France’s president said Friday that a French soldier has been killed in a drone attack in Iraq.

The attack targeted Erbil in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region, President Emmanuel Macron said on the social platform X.

Macron identified the soldier as Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion of the 7th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins from Varces.

“To his family, to his brothers in arms, I want to express all the affection and solidarity of the nation,” Macron said. “Several of our soldiers have been wounded. France stands by their side and with their loved ones.”

France said earlier that six soldiers were hurt in a drone attack in Erbil.

French troops are in Iraq as part of a multinational counterterrorism mission supporting local forces in their fight against ISIS militants.