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Arab World

Syria Affirms Deep Ties with Saudi Arabia

Saudi Ambassador to Damascus Dr. Faisal Al-Mujfel visits the Kingdom’s pavilion, guest of honor at the Damascus International Book Fair (Saudi Embassy account). 
Saudi Ambassador to Damascus Dr. Faisal Al-Mujfel visits the Kingdom’s pavilion, guest of honor at the Damascus International Book Fair (Saudi Embassy account). 
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Syria Affirms Deep Ties with Saudi Arabia

Saudi Ambassador to Damascus Dr. Faisal Al-Mujfel visits the Kingdom’s pavilion, guest of honor at the Damascus International Book Fair (Saudi Embassy account). 
Saudi Ambassador to Damascus Dr. Faisal Al-Mujfel visits the Kingdom’s pavilion, guest of honor at the Damascus International Book Fair (Saudi Embassy account). 

Syria has reaffirmed the strength of its relations with Saudi Arabia during a visit by the Saudi ambassador to Damascus, Dr. Faisal Al-Mujfel, to the Saudi pavilion, guest of honor at the 2026 Damascus International Book Fair.

Saudi Arabia’s participation in the fair, held from Feb. 6-16, is led by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission.

At the start of the visit, Al-Mujfel met Syria’s Minister of Culture, Mohammad Yassin Saleh, who welcomed the Kingdom’s designation as guest of honor as a clear affirmation of the depth of Saudi-Syrian cultural relations, based on partnership and mutual respect.

Saleh praised Saudi Arabia’s cultural efforts and commended the pavilion for showcasing activities that reflect the richness and diversity of Saudi cultural heritage.

He noted that the Saudi program highlights the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting culture and literature at both the Arab and international levels. The pavilion features a wide range of events, including seminars and poetry evenings, with the participation of leading Saudi writers and intellectuals.

During a guided tour, the Saudi ambassador was briefed on the creative diversity presented at the pavilion. Exhibits include a collection of manuscripts, a section dedicated to traditional Saudi attire, displays of archaeological replicas, and a selection of publications issued by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission.

Among the featured works are titles from the “Translate” initiative, the “Saudi Literature Comics” series, and short story collections from Saudi authors, offering visitors insight into the Kingdom’s contemporary literary scene.

The commission is overseeing Saudi Arabia’s participation as guest of honor at the 2026 book fair, presenting what it described as a vibrant cultural experience that celebrates Saudi creativity and promotes dialogue through books.

The program aligns with the Kingdom’s National Culture Strategy under Vision 2030, which emphasizes cultural exchange, knowledge sharing, and constructive dialogue among nations, while reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s role in the Arab and global cultural landscape.

The visit was attended by several Arab diplomats accompanying the Saudi ambassador, including the ambassadors of Bahrain, Oman and Lebanon, as well as the chargé d’affaires of the United Arab Emirates embassy in Damascus.

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Arab World

Israeli Army: Hezbollah Disarmament Needs Full Occupation of Lebanon

An Israeli military truck transports a tank in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel near the Lebanese border (AFP)
An Israeli military truck transports a tank in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel near the Lebanese border (AFP)
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Israeli Army: Hezbollah Disarmament Needs Full Occupation of Lebanon

An Israeli military truck transports a tank in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel near the Lebanese border (AFP)
An Israeli military truck transports a tank in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel near the Lebanese border (AFP)

A senior Israeli military commander said on Friday that disarming Hezbollah was not part of the current war objectives, and that the army’s plan instead focused on razing entire villages in southern Lebanon and forcibly displacing residents to create a buffer zone imposing a new border reality.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said the war aimed to achieve what he called the “top objective” of disarming Hezbollah and that the government remained committed to it.

The spokesperson for the Israeli army later walked back the commander’s remarks, saying the military remained committed to the long-term goal of disarming Hezbollah through a broad, gradual effort.

The current operation weakens Hezbollah and will contribute to its disarmament over time, the spokesperson noted.

A military source said Israel would act if the Lebanese government failed to disarm the group, adding that Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem was within the scope of Israeli assassination plans.

Former general Yom-Tov Samia said dismantling Hezbollah would require targeting the Lebanese state itself, including its infrastructure, to pressure the public against the group.

Despite the clarification, the initial remarks continued to reverberate. Military analysts and reserve generals said they reflected a blunt reality: the current war cannot destroy Hezbollah.

They said such a goal would require full occupation of Lebanon and sweeping searches across all towns and villages, which would exceed the scope of the current operation.

Amid the visible rift, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed a cabinet meeting scheduled for Friday, replacing it with limited consultations before rescheduling it for Saturday evening.

A military source said the army would present a plan to the cabinet to completely destroy Lebanese border villages and establish a depopulated security zone, barring residents from returning to areas along what Israel calls the “contact line,” with 20 Christian villages exempted.

The army says Hezbollah has tried over the past year to rebuild its infrastructure along the border. It proposes turning a 3-4 km strip into a forward defensive zone.

The plan calls for the total destruction of dozens of villages near Israeli towns, from Kfarkela opposite Metula to Naqoura opposite Shlomi, including the demolition of all infrastructure and a permanent ban on residents returning.

The military says the plan has received legal approvals, arguing that villages used by Hezbollah constitute “incriminated” infrastructure and that their existence would enable the group to rebuild in the future.

It added that after a November 2024 ceasefire, Hezbollah fighters returned to border villages and attempted to rebuild underground infrastructure and deploy weapons not previously detected.

The army said it would be impossible after the current operation to revert to the existing border, as Hezbollah would return, requiring a new line.

The proposed model mirrors what the army calls the “yellow line” in the Gaza Strip, a 2-4 km strip cleared of locals and controlled by Israeli forces with forward positions.

A senior Israeli officer said the plan differs from Israel’s past security zone in southern Lebanon, stressing that civilians would not be allowed to return.

The officer acknowledged that setting Hezbollah’s disarmament as a war goal had been “overly ambitious,” saying current constraints, including a prolonged war and the need to focus on Iran, prevent making it an immediate objective.

 

Arab World

Israel Says Striking Hezbollah Sites in Beirut after Destroying Bridge

File photo of a bridge destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in Dalfy, Lebanon on March 26, 2026. Stringer, Reuters
File photo of a bridge destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in Dalfy, Lebanon on March 26, 2026. Stringer, Reuters
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Israel Says Striking Hezbollah Sites in Beirut after Destroying Bridge

File photo of a bridge destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in Dalfy, Lebanon on March 26, 2026. Stringer, Reuters
File photo of a bridge destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in Dalfy, Lebanon on March 26, 2026. Stringer, Reuters

The Israeli military said Saturday it had begun striking "Hezbollah infrastructure" in Beirut after it destroyed a bridge in eastern Lebanon to prevent the Iran-backed group's reinforcements from crossing.

An AFP journalist heard two loud explosions in the capital within half an hour early Saturday and saw smoke billowing from one of them, said AFP.

Local media reported two strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, a locality that has been a target of Israeli strikes in recent days as the military presses on with its ground invasion in the country's south.

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel to avenge the US-Israeli attack that killed Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

On Friday, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said a blast at one of its positions in the country's south near the border wounded three peacekeepers, the third similar incident in days.

Israel's military had warned that it would target two adjacent bridges over the Litani River in the area "to prevent the transfer of reinforcements and military equipment".

The Lebanese state-run National News Agency (NNA) said: "Israeli warplanes targeted the bridge that links Sohmor with Mashghara, leading to its destruction."

Lebanese local media reported that a second bridge was also hit.

The strikes in Sohmor continued into early Saturday, with the NNA reporting the town's center being hit twice as warplanes roared in the skies.

Israel has previously struck five other bridges over the Litani in the country's south, including most of the main routes crossing the waterway.

The river runs around 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Israeli border, an area where Israel has said it wants to maintain "security control".

Also in Sohmor, two people were killed and 15 wounded in an Israeli strike that hit "as worshippers were leaving the town's mosque" after Friday prayers, according to Lebanon's health ministry.

Lebanese authorities say more than 1,300 people have been killed in a month of hostilities.

- 'No longer afraid' -

UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said an explosion inside a UN position injured three peacekeepers, adding that the origin was unknown.

Israel's army accused Hezbollah of launching a rocket that hit the post.

On the edge of the southern suburbs of Beirut, Christians marked Good Friday in Shiyah with a procession around Saint Maroun Church.

Resident Hala Farah, 62, said she had never before missed the religious rites, even during repeated conflicts in the country.

"We're always here, we have to hold on for the future of our children," she told AFP at the entrance to the overflowing church.

Another worshipper, Patricia Haddad, 32, said she was no longer afraid of the bombardments.

"We got used to it, unfortunately," she said.

Israel's army has said it has struck more than 3,500 targets across Lebanon since last month, while Hezbollah said it had carried out 1,309 operations against Israeli targets.

On Sunday, an Indonesian peacekeeper was killed when a projectile exploded in a UNIFIL position, while another blast the following day killed two more Indonesian troops.

According to the UN, 97 force members have been killed in violence since UNIFIL was first established to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces after they invaded Lebanon in 1978.

The force's mandate expires at the end of this year.

Arab World

US Embassy in Beirut Warns of Possible Iran Threat to Universities in Lebanon

People walk past the main gate to the campus of the American University of Beirut (AUB) in the center of Beirut on January 13, 2022. (AFP)
People walk past the main gate to the campus of the American University of Beirut (AUB) in the center of Beirut on January 13, 2022. (AFP)
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US Embassy in Beirut Warns of Possible Iran Threat to Universities in Lebanon

People walk past the main gate to the campus of the American University of Beirut (AUB) in the center of Beirut on January 13, 2022. (AFP)
People walk past the main gate to the campus of the American University of Beirut (AUB) in the center of Beirut on January 13, 2022. (AFP)

The US embassy in Beirut said on ‌Friday ‌that Iran ‌and ⁠its aligned armed ⁠groups "may intend to target ⁠universities ‌in Lebanon".

In ‌a security ‌alert, ‌the embassy also ‌urged US citizens to depart ⁠Lebanon "while ⁠commercial flight options remain available".

Lebanon was dragged into the conflict in the Middle East when Iran-backed Hezbollah shot rockets at Israel in retaliation to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei at the beginning of the war.

Over the past 24 hours, Israeli strikes killed 23 people and wounded 98, the Lebanese health ministry said Friday.

The ministry said that the overall death toll includes 125 children and 91 women, since Israel launched intense airstrikes across Lebanon after the Hezbollah fired rockets toward northern Israel in solidarity with Iran on March 2. The strikes have also wounded 4,138 others.

Among those killed are 53 health workers, while Israeli strikes have targeted 83 emergency medical service facilities, the health ministry said.