Author: Steven Sahiounie

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently used the metaphor “spider web” in a statement discussing the Israeli military strike on Hezbollah’s stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Friday. Reports suggest that the strike targeted Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, sparking speculation about his possible death after communication with his group was lost. Speaking from his residence in New York before returning to Israel, Netanyahu said, “Our enemies thought we were like a spider web. That’s what one of them used to say.” Netanyahu was referencing a term frequently used by Nasrallah, who has often described Israel as a “spider…

Norway will no longer grant automatic asylum to refugees from six “safe” regions Norway has announced that Ukrainians who come from six regions that it has classified as “safe,” mainly in the west of the country, will no longer be granted automatic asylum. The NATO member has welcomed 85,000 Ukrainians over the past two and a half years, according to the government in Oslo. The number of arrivals has decreased by 40% over the past twelve months, which Norway credited to a series of cutbacks to benefits and accommodations, but has risen again in recent weeks. “Immigration to Norway must be controlled…

India, Brazil, and South Africa have stressed that making global institutions more representative of today’s world is a top priorityThe foreign ministers of Brazil, India, and South Africa have reiterated their commitment to expanding the UN Security Council (UNSC) to enhance the influence of developing countries in global governance and economic decision making. Mauro Vieira, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and Ronald Lamola – the foreign ministers of Brazil, India, and South Africa, respectively – met on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday. In a statement after the meeting, the ministers expressed “frustration with the…

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell expressed regret on Friday, stating that no power, including the United States, seems capable of stopping Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking to a small group of journalists during the United Nations General Assembly, Borrell said, “What we are doing is applying all possible diplomatic pressure to achieve a ceasefire, but it appears that no one has the ability to stop Netanyahu—neither in Gaza nor in the occupied West Bank.” Borrell voiced support for the French-American initiative to establish a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon—a proposal that Israel ignored as it intensified strikes across…

Hezbollah has denied what it described as “false claims” by Israel regarding the presence of weapons caches in civilian buildings targeted by Israeli airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs in the early hours of Saturday. In a statement distributed by its media office, Hezbollah stated, “There is no truth to the Zionist enemy’s false claims about the existence of weapons or weapons caches in the civilian buildings that were targeted by the bombing in the southern suburbs a short while ago.” The Israeli military announced that it conducted strikes early Saturday, targeting Hezbollah weapons storage sites located beneath residential buildings in…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented two maps of the Middle East on Friday during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, conspicuously omitting any reference to Gaza or the occupied West Bank. Speaking on the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict, which raises fears of escalating into a full-scale war potentially involving other nations, Netanyahu used the maps to make his points. The first map illustrated a logistical bridge from India to Southern Europe via the Middle East, a concept he previously showcased last year. The second map depicted countries with Iranian influence in the region. Netanyahu contrasted the two…

Ali Larijani, an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated on Friday that Israel is “crossing Tehran’s red lines,” warning that “the situation has become dangerous.” This comment followed an Israeli attack targeting the central command of Hezbollah in Beirut’s southern suburbs. According to a senior Israeli official, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah was the intended target of the strike. In an interview with Iranian state television, Larijani emphasized, “Assassinations will not solve Israel’s problems,” noting that “other leaders” will replace those Hezbollah figures assassinated by Israel. Earlier, a senior Iranian security official told Reuters that Tehran is investigating…

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday renewed his call for a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah after Israel disregarded a ceasefire proposal co-authored by the United States and France. During a press conference concluding a week of diplomatic meetings at the United Nations, Blinken stated, “The choices that both sides make in the coming days will determine the path this region takes, with serious consequences for its people, both now and potentially for years to come.” He added, “The diplomatic path may seem difficult at this moment, but it exists, and in our view, it is necessary.”…

Cameras captured the exodus of residents from parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs late Friday night, following an Israeli military warning to evacuate the area. The Israeli army issued its first-ever call for residents to leave buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs since the escalation with Hezbollah began. The warning, shared in a post on the platform “X,” specifically targeted buildings in the Lailaki and Hadath neighborhoods. Following the evacuation notice, an Israeli military spokesperson announced that the army would launch airstrikes on buildings in the southern suburbs, which are allegedly used by Hezbollah to store weapons. In the early hours of…

Late Friday, the Israeli military issued a warning that it may target Beirut Airport as tensions with the Lebanese group Hezbollah continue to escalate. Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari cautioned that the army “will not allow the transfer of any weapons to Hezbollah,” including those transported through Beirut International Airport. Hagari stated, “We will not permit the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah by any means. We are aware of Iranian arms being smuggled to Hezbollah, and we will work to thwart these efforts.” He added that Israeli Air Force planes are currently patrolling the area around Beirut Airport. “So far,…