US soldiers search debris after the terrorist attack blasted through four layers of concrete. AFP
US soldiers search debris after the terrorist attack blasted through four layers of concrete. AFP

1983 - US Marines bombed in Beirut

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Updated 19 April 2025
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1983 - US Marines bombed in Beirut

1983 - US Marines bombed in Beirut
  • The 1983 bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut by a pro-Iranian group killed 241 Americans and led to the US withdrawal from Lebanon

BEIRUT: At about 6:25 a.m. on Oct. 23, 1983, Beirut and its suburbs were shaken, as far as its mountainous regions, by what seemed almost a muffled explosion. 

People thought it was an earthquake, but seven minutes later the city and its surroundings were again shaken by a second, much more massive blast. 

I was working for the Lebanese newspaper As-Safir as a war correspondent at the time. Beirut was besieged, in its southern suburbs, the mountains and the Kharoub region, by clashes between the Progressive Socialist Party and its allies on one hand, and the Lebanese Forces on the other, in what was known as the “Mountain War.” 

The south of the country was also the scene of armed resistance by Lebanese fighters against the Israeli occupation. These fighters had links to leftist parties and previously with Palestinian factions. 

Multinational forces, including the Americans, French and Italians, had been stationed in Beirut following the withdrawal of the leadership and forces of the Palestine Liberation Organization, as a result of Israel’s aggression against Lebanon including its occupation of Beirut in 1982. 

Within a few minutes of the blasts, it became clear that the headquarters of the US Marines on Beirut’s Airport Road, and the base for the French contingent in the Jinnah area, had been hit by two separate suicide attacks. The unidentified bombers had stormed two fortified locations with trucks packed with tonnes of explosives.

How we wrote it




The day after the attacks, Arab News noted 120 Marine and 20 French deaths, a significantly lower figure than the final count.

The attack on the US base killed 241 American military personnel — 220 Marines, 18 sailors and three soldiers — and wounded dozens. The bombing of the French military site killed 58 French paratroopers and more than 25 Lebanese. 

The attacks were the second of their kind in Beirut; a suicide bomber had targeted the US embassy in Ain Al-Mraiseh six months earlier, on April 18, killing 63 people, including 17 Americans and 35 Lebanese. 

The damage was enormous at the headquarters of the Marines. Four layers of cement had collapsed into piles of rubble, fires were burning, and there was a lot of screaming amid the blood, body parts and confusion. This is what we journalists could see amid the chaos in the immediate aftermath, and what sticks in my memory more than 40 years later. 

The night before, a Saturday, the Marines had been partying, entertained by a musical group that had traveled from the US to perform for them. Most were still asleep when the bomb exploded. 

No group claimed responsibility for the bombings that day, but a few days later As-Safir published a statement it had received in which the “Islamic Revolution Movement” said it was responsible. 

About 48 hours after the bombing, the US accused the Amal Movement and its splinter group, Islamic Amal, led by Hussein Al-Moussawi, of being responsible for the attack. According to reports in local newspapers at the time: “The planning for the bombing took place in Baalbek, and the truck used was seen parked in front of an Amal Movement office.” 

The US vice president, George H.W. Bush, visited Lebanon the day after the attack and said: “We will not allow terrorism to dictate or change our foreign policy.” 

Syria, Iran and the Amal Movement denied any involvement in either of the bombings. 

Key Dates

  • 1

    Multinational US, French and Italian peacekeeping force is sent to Beirut to oversee withdrawal of Palestine Liberation Organization fighters.

    Timeline Image Aug. 24, 1982

  • 2

    US Marines withdraw.

  • 3

    Lebanese President Bachir Gemayel assassinated.

    Timeline Image Sept. 14, 1982

  • 4

    Christian militia, assisted by Israeli troops, massacres hundreds of Muslims in Sabra and Shatila refugee camps.

    Timeline Image Sept. 16-19, 1982

  • 5

    US Marines return to Beirut.

  • 6

    17 Americans among 63 people killed in bombing at US embassy in Beirut.

    Timeline Image April 18, 1983

  • 7

    Truck bomb kills 241 US personnel and wounds 128 at Marines’ compound in Beirut. Similar device kills 58 French paratroopers stationed nearby.

    Timeline Image Oct. 23, 1983

  • 8

    US court concludes Iran ordered the attack and Hezbollah carried it out.

French authorities responded to the attack on its forces by sending eight military jets to bomb the Sheikh Abdullah barracks in Baalbek, where they said “Iranian elements are stationed.” They stated at the time “the raids killed 200 people.” 

An official from Islamic Amal denied that Iran had a compound in the Baalbek region, but added that his group’s association with “the Islamic revolution in Iran is the association of a nation with its leader, and we are defending ourselves.”

On Nov. 23, the Lebanese Cabinet decided to sever relations with Iran and Libya. Lebanese Foreign Minister Eli Salem said the decision “was taken after Iran and Libya admitted that they have forces in the Bekaa.” 

A report in As-Safir quoted a diplomatic source as saying: “Relations with Iran have worsened due to the illegal interventions, practices and activities it carried out on the Lebanese scene, despite many warnings.” 

The attacks on Oct. 23 were the strongest indication up until then of the shifting balance of regional and international power in Lebanon, and the emergence of a growing Iranian role in the civil war. 

Researcher Walid Noueihed told me that prior to 1982, Beirut had welcomed all forms of opposition, including the educated elite, referred to as the “velvet opposition,” and the armed opposition, the members of which were trained in Palestinian camps or training centers in the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon. 




The aerial view of the US embassy in Beirut following the explosion which killed 63 people, including 46 Lebanese and 17 Americans. AFP

He said the Iranian opposition to the Shah was present among these groups, and described Beirut as an oasis for opposition movements until 1982. However, this dynamic changed when Israel invaded Lebanon and besieged Beirut, resulting in the departure of the PLO under an international agreement that in exchange required Israel to refrain from entering Beirut. 

While the Palestinian factions departed from Lebanon, however, the Lebanese fighters associated with the PLO, most of them Shiites who formed the bases of Lebanese leftist parties, did not. 

The attacks on the US and French military bases led to the withdrawal of international forces from Lebanon, Noueihed said, leaving Beirut unprotected once again. Resistance operations grew, influenced by ideologies distinct from those of the traditional left, as groups such as Islamic Amal openly displayed slogans advocating confrontation with Israel. 

In 1985, Hezbollah was officially established as “a jihadi organization leading a revolution for an Islamic republic.” It attracted support from Lebanese and Palestinian leftist parties, particularly after the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

Noueihed said the emergence of Hezbollah coincided with a decline of existing symbols of national resistance, which seemed to signal an intention to exclude all other forces in the country from the resistance movement, leaving Hezbollah as the dominant party. 

The Iranian influence in Lebanon became evident during violent clashes between Hezbollah and Amal, which resulted in dozens of casualties and concluded with Hezbollah consolidating its control amid the presence of Syrian military forces. 

Beirut eventually became a city abandoned by the educated elite, as hundreds of writers, intellectuals, researchers and media professionals fled to Europe, fearing for their safety, Noueihed added. 

  • Najia Houssari is a writer for Arab News, based in Beirut. She was a war correspondent for Lebanese newspaper As-Safir at the time the US Marine barracks were bombed. 


Pakistan’s foreign minister meets Saudi, Kuwaiti and Kazakh counterparts on OIC sidelines

Pakistan’s foreign minister meets Saudi, Kuwaiti and Kazakh counterparts on OIC sidelines
Updated 2 min 31 sec ago
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Pakistan’s foreign minister meets Saudi, Kuwaiti and Kazakh counterparts on OIC sidelines

Pakistan’s foreign minister meets Saudi, Kuwaiti and Kazakh counterparts on OIC sidelines
  • Ishaq Dar and Prince Faisal bin Farhan discuss avenues to strengthen ‘strategic cooperation across all sectors’
  • Dar also focuses on enhanced trade and investment in talks with the Kuwaiti and Kazakh foreign ministers

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday met his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Istanbul to discuss bilateral ties and strategic cooperation, as he held a series of diplomatic engagements on the sidelines of the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers.
The talks came as the escalating crisis in the Middle East, particularly Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and its recent strikes inside Iran, dominated the agenda of the high-level summit, drawing sharp rebukes from several Muslim countries including Pakistan.
“Delighted to meet my brother, HH Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on the sidelines of the 51st OIC Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Istanbul,” Dar said in a social media post. “We reaffirmed the deep-rooted brotherly ties between our two countries & explored avenues to further strengthen our strategic cooperation across all sectors.”
https://x.com/mishaqdar50/status/1936410048219001309?s=46&t=x28vcP-XUuQ0CWAu-biScA 
The meeting underscored Pakistan’s close relations with Saudi Arabia, which has extended critical financial support to help Islamabad navigate a prolonged economic crisis in recent years. The Kingdom played a key role in unlocking a crucial loan program from the International Monetary Fund and remains Pakistan’s largest source of worker remittances, a major pillar of the country’s economy.
Dar also met Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya to discuss expanding trade and investment ties, amid Pakistan’s efforts to attract Gulf investment and secure more employment opportunities for its workers in the region.
“Met my dear brother Abdullah Al-Yahya, Foreign Minister of Kuwait, on the sidelines of the 51st OIC CFM in Istanbul,” he said. “We discussed Pak–Kuwait bilateral ties, trade & investment, cooperation within OIC, and regional & international developments of mutual concern. Grateful for Kuwait’s steadfast support, especially amidst recent escalations [with India].”
https://x.com/mishaqdar50/status/1936411452463570991?s=46&t=x28vcP-XUuQ0CWAu-biScA 
Dar also held a meeting with Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu to reaffirm strong bilateral ties and explore opportunities for regional connectivity.
According to Pakistan’s foreign office, the two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in trade, investment and infrastructure, with Dar welcoming a planned high-level visit from Kazakhstan to Pakistan in October 2025 to strengthen the partnership further.
Islamabad has repeatedly highlighted the importance of ties with Central Asian states, offering its southern ports as a gateway for the landlocked region to access international markets through sea trade.


Fleetwood seizes control after Scheffler blowup and leads Travelers by 3

Fleetwood seizes control after Scheffler blowup and leads Travelers by 3
Updated 5 min 51 sec ago
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Fleetwood seizes control after Scheffler blowup and leads Travelers by 3

Fleetwood seizes control after Scheffler blowup and leads Travelers by 3
  • Scheffler celebrated his 29th birthday by starting a round with a triple bogey for the first time in his PGA Tour career
  • Fleetwood, a 34-year-old from England, was at 16-under 194. He has finished among the top 20 in eight of his 14 starts this season

CROMWELL, Connecticut: Tommy Fleetwood was so locked in on good golf he didn’t realize until after his 7-under 63 that he didn’t miss a fairway in the Travelers Championship. And he certainly wasn’t aware of the stunning blowups behind him by Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas.

All three started a steamy, hot Saturday tied for the lead, but not for long.

Scheffler celebrated his 29th birthday by starting a round with a triple bogey for the first time in his PGA Tour career. All it took was missing the fairway into thick rough, airmailing the green from a front bunker, two chips and two putts.

He never quite recovered, posted a 72 for only his fifth score over par in 55 rounds this year, and was nine shots behind.

Thomas was still in the mix until a wild hook off the tee at the par-5 13th, letting the driver loose that landed near the marshal spotting the shot. After reloaded from going out-of-bounds, it took three chips left of the green and two putts for a quadruple-9. He shot 73 and was 10 shots out of the lead.

Fleetwood avoided those blunders to build a three-shot lead. At stake is a chance to add a PGA Tour title to a resume that includes seven European titles, three Ryder Cup appearances and a regular fixture among the top 25 for the last two years.

“I’m on top of a lot of stat lines for people that haven’t won on the PGA Tour, so to always be a No. 1 at something is always nice,” he said with a laugh.

“Yeah, of course I would love to win on the PGA Tour. I think it’s like an element of your career that everybody wants, and I of course want it. I haven’t, this year especially, I don’t feel like I’ve given myself ... I’ve given myself a back-end chance a couple of times this year, but I’ve not been in contention. So this is like my first real chance, so I’m really excited about that and looking forward to it.”

The immediate challengers at steamy TPC River Highlands are New England’s favorite son and Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley (63) and Russell Henley, who had a 61 one day after calling a penalty on himself when there initially was some question it was a penalty.

Henley thought it moved a golf ball dimple away.

“When it happened it kind of shocked me a little bit,” Henley said of his chip on left of the eighth green in the second round. “I still hit the shot, and as the ball was rolling on the green I was thinking, ‘Something just happened there.’ So I knew. I knew that the ball moved. I just felt it was the right thing to do.”

Missing are Scheffler and Thomas, both tied for the 36-hole lead with Fleetwood. On a day without wind — just stifling heat — in which the scoring average was 68, Scheffler and Thomas combined to play 5-over par.

Fleetwood only missed three greens and his toughest save a 6-footer after missing the ninth green to the left with a wedge. He holed a 65-foot putt on the fifth hole and converted plenty of other chances, while running his bogey-free streak to 32 holes going into Sunday.

He also made eagle on the 13th hole for the second day, giving him three eagles for the week. They don’t hand out crystal for that at the Travelers, only red umbrellas. But it allowed Fleetwood to get some separation for Henley and Bradley going into Sunday.

Fleetwood, a 34-year-old from England, was at 16-under 194. He has finished among the top 20 in eight of his 14 starts this season. He just feels he hasn’t given himself any chances.

Jason Day ran off three straight birdies on the back nine to salvage a 67 and was five shots back. No one else was closer than eight shots of Fleetwood.

Scheffler hasn’t finished out of the top 10 since March and remarkably he ended the day with a birdie for a tie eighth. The start was a shocker.

He drove left into the 5-inch rough and hit wedge into a front bunker with a decent lie. But he caught all ball and sent it over the green, leaving him a tough pitch up the slope and over a mound toward the hole. The first pitch came up short and rolled back down into the rough.

He hit a flop to 15 feet and two-putted for triple bogey, his first on the tour since the BMW Championship last August.

Bradley, whose name has not vanished from Ryder Cup consideration as a player, won the Travelers two years ago and cleared a major hurdle trying to perform before New England fans, now chanting, “U-S-A! U-S-A!” at him at every turn.

He likes his position of chasing. He still knows he needs to play well.

“Oh, man, you’re going to have to shoot something at least in the mid 60s, probably where I am, probably lower,” Bradley said. “But it’s doable out here. When you play a course where you’ve got to make birdies it brings a different challenge. You can’t have a stretch of 1-over par for seven holes or you lose a million shots.

“So in some aspects it’s difficult just like a hard course would be.”


Transcript of Trump’s speech on US strikes on Iran

Transcript of Trump’s speech on US strikes on Iran
Updated 19 min 2 sec ago
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Transcript of Trump’s speech on US strikes on Iran

Transcript of Trump’s speech on US strikes on Iran
  • ‘There will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days’

WASHINGTON: A transcript of President Donald Trump’s speech on US airstrikes on Iran on Saturday as transcribed by The Associated Press:

Thank you very much.

A short time ago, the US military carried out massive, precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime. Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise.

Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.

Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not. Future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier.

For 40 years, Iran has been saying. Death to America, death to Israel. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs, with roadside bombs. That was their specialty. We lost over 1,000 people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East, and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate in particular. So many were killed by their general, Qassim Soleimani. I decided a long time ago that I would not let this happen. It will not continue.

I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we’ve gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they’ve done. And most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight, and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades.

Hopefully, we will no longer need their services in this capacity. I hope that’s so. I also want to congratulate the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan ‘Razin’ Caine, spectacular general, and all of the brilliant military minds involved in this attack.

With all of that being said, this cannot continue. There will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight’s was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes. There’s no military in the world that could have done what we did tonight. Not even close. There has never been a military that could do what took place just a little while ago.

Tomorrow, General Caine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will have a press conference at 8 a.m. at the Pentagon. And I want to just thank everybody. And, in particular, God. I want to just say, we love you, God, and we love our great military. Protect them. God bless the Middle East. God bless Israel and God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you.


New Zealand beat Pakistan 6-2 to clinch FIH Hockey Nations Cup trophy

New Zealand beat Pakistan 6-2 to clinch FIH Hockey Nations Cup trophy
Updated 35 min 1 sec ago
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New Zealand beat Pakistan 6-2 to clinch FIH Hockey Nations Cup trophy

New Zealand beat Pakistan 6-2 to clinch FIH Hockey Nations Cup trophy
  • Kiwis stunned Pakistan with five goals in first half of one-sided FIH Hockey Nations Cup final 
  • New Zealand promoted to prestigious FIH Pro League after winning second consecutive trophy

ISLAMABAD: New Zealand ended Pakistan’s bid to clinch the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup title on Saturday, winning the trophy a second consecutive time in Kuala Lumpur after beating the green shirts 6-2. 

It was a one-sided contest right from the beginning, with the Kiwis stunning Pakistan with five goals in the high-octane first half at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium. 

Despite a fightback by Pakistan in the second half of the match, which saw the green shirts score two goals, New Zealand managed to score another and add 6-2 to the final tally. 

“New Zealand’s triumph not only earned them the championship but also promotion to the prestigious FIH Pro League, reaffirming their growing stature in international hockey,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) wrote. 

New Zealand signaled intent from the outset, with two early goals disallowed but persistent pressure finally paying off when Scott Cosslett converted a penalty corner. Jonty Elmes then set up Sam Hiha to double the lead, followed by goals from Dylan Thomas and Sean Findlay — the latter finishing from a difficult angle after receiving a precise aerial pass.

Before the halftime whistle, Scott Boyde capitalized on a rebound from the Pakistani goalkeeper to make it 5-0, giving New Zealand an unassailable lead.

Pakistan’s Moin Shakeel responded with a 33-minute goal, briefly shifting the momentum. 

“Cosslett netted his second goal of the match via a penalty corner in the closing minutes, while Sufyan Khan grabbed a consolation for Pakistan to end the match 6-2,” APP reported. 

France, which lost to Pakistan in the semifinal earlier this week, claimed the bronze medal by defeating South Korea in a shootout, while Wales beat hosts Malaysia for fifth place.

Japan finished seventh with a win over former champions South Africa.

The FIH Men’s Nations Cup was being played in Kuala Lumpur from June 15 to 21 that brought together eight top-ranked teams competing with each other.
Hockey is Pakistan’s national sport.

The national team boasts a proud legacy with three Olympic gold medals in 1960, 1968 and 1984 along with four World Cup titles in 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994.

Hockey in Pakistan has faced a sharp decline in recent decades due to administrative challenges, underinvestment and inadequate infrastructure.

Renewed efforts are underway to revive the game with increased government support, youth development initiatives and greater international engagement aimed at restoring Pakistan’s former glory in the sport.


Alcaraz sets up Queen’s final clash with Lehecka

Alcaraz sets up Queen’s final clash with Lehecka
Updated 22 June 2025
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Alcaraz sets up Queen’s final clash with Lehecka

Alcaraz sets up Queen’s final clash with Lehecka
  • Alcaraz is one victory away from becoming only the second Spaniard to win Queen’s twice, after Feliciano Lopez’s victories in 2017 and 2019
  • Lehecka, who will be playing in his first ATP grass-court final, is the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990

LONDON: Carlos Alcaraz reached the Queen’s Club final for the second time as the world No. 2 eased to a 6-4, 6-4 win over Roberto Bautista Agut on Saturday.

Alcaraz extended his career-best winning streak to 17 matches in a semifinal played in sweltering conditions at the Wimbledon warm-up event in west London.

The five-time Grand Slam champion hit 36 winners and 15 aces to dispatch his fellow Spaniard in 90 minutes.

Top seeded Alcaraz will face Jiri Lehecka in Sunday’s final after the Czech world No. 30’s shock 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 win against British star Jack Draper in the other semifinal.

Playing his first tournament since his epic French Open victory against Jannik Sinner two weeks ago, the 22-year-old is through to his fifth successive final after lifting titles on clay in Paris, Rome, Barcelona and Monte Carlo.

Alcaraz signalled his emergence as a grass-court force by winning Queen’s in 2023, clinching the Wimbledon title for the first time just weeks later and defending his All England Club crown last year.

He is one victory away from becoming only the second Spaniard to win Queen’s twice, after Feliciano Lopez’s victories in 2017 and 2019.

“I’m playing great tennis. After every match I’m feeling more comfortable. Making the final here is so special once again,” Alcaraz said.

“I love making the crowds enjoy watching my games. Whenever I put a smile on my face I play my best tennis.

“I try to have fun and bring joy on the court. That is why I’m making good results.”

Alcaraz wasted little time taking control against Bautista Agut, unfurling a deft drop-shot to break in the third game of the match.

That was all the encouragement Alcaraz needed as he held serve with ease to close out the first set.

Bautista Agut, 37, enjoyed a surprise win over Danish fourth seed Holger Rune in the last eight.

But Alcaraz never looked like suffering the same fate and he delivered the knockout blow in the second set.

A whipped forehand down the line earned a break-point that he converted to move 3-2 ahead.

The nerveless Alcaraz finished off the win in typically ruthless fashion to the delight of the fans waving Spanish flags to salute their hero.

Earlier, Lehecka ended Draper’s bid for a maiden Queen’s final appearance.

Lehecka, who will be playing in his first ATP grass-court final, is the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990.

The 23-year-old said: “It means a lot. You don’t meet a player like Jack every day, he’s an amazing competitor.”

Draper was hoping to become the first British singles champion at Queen’s since five-time winner Andy Murray’s most recent victory in 2016.

But the world No. 6 will have to wait at least another year to get his hands on the silverware after claiming a bout of tonsillitis played a role in his defeat.

“I haven’t felt good all week. I’m proud of the way I went about things, considering, but it’s tough,” he said.

“You’re an entertainer, an athlete, and you have no choice. No one cares, you know. So you’ve just got to go out there and do the best you can.

“Today’s probably the worst I’ve felt. Did I think about withdrawing? No, not at all. I’m in the semifinals at Queen’s. I’d probably go on court with a broken leg.”

Lehecka had already ended the hopes of one Briton at Queen’s after beating Jacob Fearnley in the quarter-finals on Friday.

He also defeated world number 12 Alex de Minaur in his opening match of the tournament, but knocking out Draper was his biggest scalp yet.