Cautious calm on border with Syria after Lebanese army deploys

Residents of the southern Lebanese village of Rabb Thlathin inspect their devastated neighbourhoods as they return to town following army deployment on February 9, 2025. (AFP)
Residents of the southern Lebanese village of Rabb Thlathin inspect their devastated neighbourhoods as they return to town following army deployment on February 9, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 11 February 2025
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Cautious calm on border with Syria after Lebanese army deploys

Cautious calm on border with Syria after Lebanese army deploys
  • Lebanese forces strengthen presence at illegal crossings and issue orders for action to maintain security
  • Lebanese Foreign Ministry condemns Netanyahu’s statements, rejects any resettlement of Palestinians

BEIRUT: The Lebanese army continued to deploy units in Rab Al-Thalathine, Tallouseh, and Bani Hayyan on Monday after the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

The deadline for their complete pullout, extended until Feb. 16, is approaching under the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and the Israeli army.

The Lebanese army carried out armored patrols on the road and cleared mounds of earth and rubble.  It also began searching for bombs and unexploded ordnance in houses and along roads.

Municipalities in the three areas urged citizens to follow the army’s instructions and avoid returning until their towns had been fully secured and cleared of explosives.

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Israeli warplanes flouted the ceasefire agreement, striking deep inside Lebanese territory on Sunday night.

Despite the Israeli troop withdrawal, localities such as Maroun Al-Ras, Yaroun, Blida, Houla, Mhaibib, Mays Al-Jabal, Kfarkila, Markaba, Abbasieh, and the outskirts of other towns remain under Israeli occupation.

Also on Monday, the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for “establishing a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia.”

The ministry reiterated support for Saudi Arabia in confronting everything that threatens its security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

It affirmed Lebanon’s rejection of any displacement of Palestinian people from their land.

The ministry called for “a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause based on the two-state solution, international legitimacy resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative issued by Beirut’s Arab Summit in 2002, which enhances peace and stability in the region.”

The ministry statement came as Israeli forces continued to demolish and bulldoze houses and facilities in border villages, alleging connections to Hezbollah.

Israeli warplanes again flouted the ceasefire agreement, striking deep inside Lebanese territory on Sunday night.

The raids targeted the Rihan Heights between Sejoud and Rihan, north of the Litani River.

Israeli aircraft raided the area between Aazze and Bfaroueh in four phases.

A cautious calm has descended on the northeastern border since the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area. Last week, the region experienced violent clashes between members of the new Syrian military administration and armed members of Lebanese tribes.

The unrest occurred in an area where smuggling operations have increased due to the overlapping territories of the two countries.

According to the National News Agency, Lebanese tribal gunmen withdrew after the Lebanese army deployed, retreating behind the line established by the army.

President Joseph Aoun’s media office reported that he contacted Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa recently. They agreed to coordinate efforts to control the situation on the Lebanon-Syria border and prevent the targeting of civilians.

The media office of the Syrian government in Homs province announced last Thursday that the Border Security Administration had launched an extensive campaign in the village of Hawik — a Lebanese village that overlaps with Syrian territory — to close smuggling routes for weapons and contraband.

Lebanese from the Zaiter and Jaafar tribes inhabit the town.

These clashes resulted in fatalities, injuries, and mutual kidnappings.

The Lebanese Red Cross and Civil Defense took 21 injured people to hospitals in Hermel two days ago, including civilians, after shelling and clashes.

The Lebanese army has sent reinforcements to the Qaa and Qaa Projects areas along the Syrian border in eastern Lebanon.

The army’s move follows heavy shelling from armed people on the Syrian side, particularly targeting the Jusiyah area.

The situation escalated after armed forces from Syria in the countryside of Al-Qusayr, opened fire on farms on the Qaa plain and the outskirts of Hermel using medium and heavy machine guns.

Israeli warplanes also entered the conflict, on Sunday night striking an illegal crossing between Lebanon and Syria.

The Lebanese Army Command announced that military units have been ordered to respond to sources of fire coming from Syrian territory that target Lebanese land, following a series of shelling incidents in areas near the eastern border.

The command clarified that its units were implementing exceptional security measures along these borders, which included the establishment of monitoring points, the deployment of patrols, and the erection of temporary barriers.

The army also said that it was closely monitoring the situation and taking appropriate action in response to developments.

In the context of security measures implemented by military institutions in various regions, army units — with patrols from the Directorate of Intelligence — raided the homes of wanted individuals in Al-Qasr in Hermel and Al-Asfouriyeh in Akkar.

A significant quantity of rocket shells, hand grenades, military weapons and ammunition was seized during these operations.

A state of cautious calm has prevailed along the northern Lebanon-Syria border since Sunday evening, with no reports of gunfire or shelling.

The Lebanese army strengthened its presence at illegal crossings and has issued orders for an immediate response to any sources of gunfire directed toward Lebanese territory.

In a statement, the Lebanese Al-Jaafar clan emphasized “the fraternal relations between the Lebanese and Syrian peoples,” announcing “the withdrawal of its armed members.”

However, it pointed out that displacement had affected residents and urged “the Lebanese state and military to address the situation.”

 

 


Dubai International Airport to receive 3.6m travelers during Eid holiday

Dubai International Airport to receive 3.6m travelers during Eid holiday
Updated 18 sec ago
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Dubai International Airport to receive 3.6m travelers during Eid holiday

Dubai International Airport to receive 3.6m travelers during Eid holiday
  • Departures during Eid week are expected to increase by 19 percent compared to the average weekly volume in February
  • Eid holiday period coincides with spring break for schools in April

LONDON: Dubai International Airport is expecting a busy two weekends with nearly 4 million passengers passing through as the month of Ramadan concludes and the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Fitr begins in April.

Dubai Airport is preparing to receive over 3.6 million guests passing through its terminals during the Eid travel peak from March 26 to April 7. Saturday, April 5, is expected to be the busiest day of the holiday period, with 309,000 travelers.

Departures during Eid week are expected to increase by 19 percent compared to the average weekly volume in February, with daily traffic projected to average 276,000 people.

Dubai Airport said the Eid holiday period coincides with spring break for schools in April, leading to a surge in travel to countries such as India, Pakistan, and the UK and an increase in leisure travel to destinations like Sri Lanka, Turkiye, and Italy.

The airport has recently launched DXB Express Maps, a smart navigation app that offers real-time directions across all terminals, ensuring smoother journeys during this busy period, it said in a statement. Travelers can scan the QR code on any flight information screen to find their gate and explore various dining and retail options.


Tunisian president urges increased migrant returns

Tunisian president urges increased migrant returns
Updated 17 min 53 sec ago
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Tunisian president urges increased migrant returns

Tunisian president urges increased migrant returns
  • The presidency said that “only 1,544 migrants have been repatriated” since the start of the year
  • The figure “could have been much higher if greater efforts had been made to put a final end to this phenomenon“

TUNIS: Tunisian President Kais Saied has called on the International Organization for Migration to accelerate efforts in conducting voluntary returns for irregular migrants to their home countries.
In a statement posted on Facebook late Tuesday, the presidency said that “only 1,544 migrants have been repatriated” since the start of the year.
It said the figure “could have been much higher if greater efforts had been made to put a final end to this phenomenon.”
Tunisia has in recent years become a key departure point in North Africa for migrants making the perilous Mediterranean Sea crossing in hopes of reaching Europe.
Each year, tens of thousands of mainly sub-Saharan African migrants attempt the crossing.
In some areas, Tunisia’s coastline lies less than 150 kilometers (90 miles) from the Italian island of Lampedusa, often their first stop.
However, with mounting European Union efforts to curb migrant arrivals, many migrants find themselves stranded in Tunisia.
The IOM offers free flights to migrants volunteering for return and provides reintegration assistance in their home countries.
Tunisian authorities said 7,250 migrants had been repatriated through the program last year.
So far this year, the IOM says 343 people have died or gone missing attempting the Mediterranean crossing. Last year, 2,476 migrants died or went missing.
Earlier this month, Tunisia’s national guard rescued 612 migrants and recovered 18 bodies off the country’s coast.
About 8,743 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year, a slight increase over the same period last year, according to Italy’s interior ministry.


Norway temporarily shuts South Sudan embassy over security

Norway temporarily shuts South Sudan embassy over security
Updated 38 min 21 sec ago
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Norway temporarily shuts South Sudan embassy over security

Norway temporarily shuts South Sudan embassy over security
  • South Sudan President Salva Kiir last week sacked the governor of Upper Nile state
  • The Norwegian embassy’s work will be carried out from Nairobi

COPENHAGEN: Norway’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday it was temporarily shutting its embassy in South Sudan’s capital Juba due to the deteriorating security situation in the country.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir last week sacked the governor of Upper Nile state, where clashes have escalated between government troops and an ethnic militia he accuses of allying with his rival, First Vice President Riek Machar.
The standoff has heightened concerns that the world’s newest nation could slide back into conflict some seven years after its emergence from a civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people.
The Norwegian embassy’s work will be carried out from Kenya’s capital Nairobi until further notice, Norway’s foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that the Juba mission would be reopened when the situation allowed it.


Arab League chief condemns Israeli attack on Syria’s Daraa province

Arab League chief condemns Israeli attack on Syria’s Daraa province
Updated 55 min 21 sec ago
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Arab League chief condemns Israeli attack on Syria’s Daraa province

Arab League chief condemns Israeli attack on Syria’s Daraa province
  • Ahmed Aboul Gheit urged the UN Security Council to ensure Tel Aviv respects the 1974 disengagement agreement
  • Israeli attack on Kuwayya killed at least 6 civilians, say Syrian authorities

LONDON: Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit has condemned an Israeli attack on the Syrian village of Kuwayya, in Daraa province, in which several people died.

Aboul-Gheit said on Wednesday the Arab League strongly criticized Israeli aggression against Syria, adding it amounted to a serious violation of the country's sovereignty.

He added Israel was attempting to use the transitional period in Syria “to fuel sedition and conflict.”

Aboul Gheit urged the UN Security Council to halt Israeli action against Syria and ensure Tel Aviv respected international law and the 1974 disengagement agreement.

Syrian authorities said on Tuesday the attack on Kuwayya killed at least six civilians.

Israel has continued its bombing campaign in Syria even after the ousting of Bashar Assad, whose rule came to an end last year after a rebel advance forced him to flee to Russia.


Israel PM says opposition fueling ‘anarchy’ with protests

Israelis block a highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in a protest against PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Israelis block a highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in a protest against PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Updated 26 March 2025
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Israel PM says opposition fueling ‘anarchy’ with protests

Israelis block a highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in a protest against PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
  • Thousands of Israelis have taken part in several days of anti-government protests, accusing Netanyahu of resuming strikes in Gaza without regard for hostages

JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday accused the opposition of fueling “anarchy” in Israel, after mass anti-government protests in recent days.
Addressing the opposition during a speech in parliament, Netanyahu said: “You recycle the same worn-out and ridiculous slogans about ‘the end of democracy’. Well, once and for all: Democracy is not in danger, it is the power of the bureaucrats that is in danger.”
“Perhaps you could stop putting spanners in the works of the government in the middle of a war? Perhaps you could stop fueling the sedition, hatred and anarchy in the streets?” he added.
Thousands of Israelis have taken part in several days of anti-government protests, accusing Netanyahu of undermining democracy and resuming strikes in Gaza without regard for hostages.
The demonstrations which erupted last week have been organized by a broad coalition of anti-Netanyahu groups, who called to protest the premier’s move to oust Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet internal security agency.
Israel’s opposition filed an appeal against the move to dismiss Bar, calling it “a decision based on flagrant conflict of interest.”
Netanyahu has pressed ahead with proceedings to sack Bar, a move which the Supreme Court blocked on Friday. The government has also begun proceedings to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who has challenged the legality of some of Netanyahu’s policies.
Following a rally in the commercial hub of Tel Aviv, protesters are due to travel to Jerusalem for an anti-government demonstration outside parliament on Wednesday evening.
Israel resumed intense air strikes across the Gaza Strip last week, followed by ground operations, shattering the relative calm of a January ceasefire with Hamas.
There are 58 hostages still in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead, out of the 251 seized during Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023 which triggered the war.