(original photos contributed to this blog by Abdul Latif Fawaz from Beirut) Press TV reports: Fresh clashes have reportedly erupted between supporters of rival political camps in Lebanon after a brief lull on Friday evening. Fierce armed clashes broke out between supporters of the Lebanese government and the opposition in the neighborhoods of al-Jadida, Kornish al-Mazra and Cola Bridge. Gunmen also attacked the residence of Omar Karami, the former Lebanese
Press TV reports: Al-Qaeda has reportedly called on its operatives to go to Lebanon and defend what it called the “Sunni community of the country”. The report came while some Arab media outlets described the current clashes in Lebanon as a fight between Sunni and Shia communities. In an interviews with Sunni clerics with links to Saad Hariri’s pro-government bloc, Al-Arabiya TV network described the ongoing clashes as a sectarian
Excerpt of the press conference held by the Secretary General of Hezbollah Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah The content of this press conference which we are holding for the first time after July 2006 is for sure about the latest, crucial and dangerous developments taking place in the Lebanese arena. In the beginning, I have to say after the decisions of the authority group on that dark night that a new phase
(AFP) Convoys of gunmen firing celebratory shots into the air and flashing the victory sign took to the streets on Friday after the Hezbollah-led opposition seized control of west Beirut following fierce firefights with Sunni pro-government supporters. Motorcycles, jeeps and cars crammed with militants hanging out of the windows roamed otherwise deserted streets of the Lebanese capital, wildly firing machine guns. Many gunmen also posed for each other, taking photographs
U.S.-backed security forces protect government buildings but avoid street clashes. “The situation is chaotic,” says one official. By Raed Rafei and Borzou Daragahi for the Los Angeles Times BEIRUT — The Shiite militia Hezbollah today handily took over much of the capital in a dramatic escalation of the months-long confrontation with the Western-backed government, security officials said. As Hezbollah swept through West Beirut, Lebanon’s security forces, which received more than
Press TV reports: The Lebanese army has taken control of the pro-government Future TV station and al-Mostaqbal newspaper as radio al-Sharq has gone off air. The TV station is owned by Saad al-Hariri, leader of Lebanon’s Western-backed ruling coalition. Amid ongoing clashes in Beirut, some 800 gunmen affiliated to Hariri’s al-Mostaqbal (Future) Movement surrendered to the army last night. The opposition has reportedly taken full control of key neighborhoods of
AFP via al-Manar: The Lebanese National Opposition announced western Beirut under its control, according to AFP. Calm has prevailed in most areas in the Lebanese capital Beirut, after the latest incidents saw the mercenaries of the Mustakbal militia flee from most neighborhoods. Residents as well as National Opposition loyalists forced Mustakabal gunmen to lay down their arms and surrender. From the Watwat area to Zaydaniyeh, Tamer Mallat neighborhood, Tallet al-Khayyat,
Alalam news reports that General Aoun said in a televised speech on Thursday: “I place all the blame on the government.” Aoun voiced support for comments earlier made by Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah that the political divide had a “political rather than a sectarian dimension to it.” Nasrallah warned on Thursday that a Lebanese government crackdown on his group was tantamount to a “declaration of war” on behalf of
Hizbullah secretary general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said during a press conference Thursday that Lebanon has entered a new phase of its political crisis and warned that a government crackdown on his party was tantamount to a “declaration of war.” Nasrallah stressed that Hizbullah was ready to return to dialogue, linking talks to a government back-track regarding measures taken Tuesday. The eruption of violence is immediately rooted in a Cabinet decision
According to a Press TV correspondent in Lebanon, opposition forces have now taken full control of west Beirut. Opposition forces have stormed the Ras al-Naba area which is a key stronghold of the western-backed ruling coalition. They have detained gunmen loyal to the government and handed them over to the Lebanese army. Reports also say guards have now fled the offices belonging to coalition leader Saad al-Hariri’s Future Group. Informed
Take a look at this crap: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/articlebr.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=91823 Siniora and the rest of the CIA stooges in Beirut stand no chance against Hezbollah. We should brace for an Imperial rescue operation very soon. Stay tuned
Al-Manar TV reports: Hezbollah Secretary General held a press conference to address recent developments in Lebanon, particularly the tense situation on the street caused by the latest decisions adopted by the unconstitutional government of Fouad Saniora. Sayyed Nasrallah said that the ruling bloc has pushed the country in a completely new situation. “The decisions of the ruling are declaration of war,” his eminence warned. On the communications network, Sayyed Nasrallah
By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya for Global ResearchThe Levant could be the starting point of a major international conflict with global ramifications and which could quickly spin out of control. Such a conflict could even involve the use of Israeli or American nuclear weapons against Iran and Syria. Syria has additionally declared that it is preparing for an inevitable war with Israel despite the fact that it believes that the chances
Al-Manar reports: Residents of the Nuweiri area in Beirut protested at Future Movement gunmen for opening fire and terrorizing civilians, so they decided to storm into their office. Hezbollah members informed Lebanese Army intelligence service about the matter and a military unit was dispatched to the location and evacuated 21 Future Movement members from the office. The army confiscated automatic weapons and ammunition. They also found applications for new Future
The rumors about a US attack on Iran have been recently re-energized by the sacking of Admiral Fallon, the arrival of a new US Navy Carrier in the vicinity of the Persian Gulf, Cheney’s recent visit to the region, General David “Ass-kissing chickenshit” Petraeus’ testimony in Congress, Secretary Gate’s silly comments about Iran wanting nukes after all, nevermind the NIE, or the New York Times resuming some of its worst
Al Manar reports: The head of the unconstitutional government and his ruling decided in the longest cabinet session yet in Lebanese history, to label “illegal and unconstitutional” the Resistance communications network. Saniora and his team also decided to remove airport security Chief Brigadier General Wafiq Shqeir to rejoin the army command. The US-backed ruling bloc decisions came one day ahead of a general strike to be held across Lebanon to
By M. Shahid Alam for Dawn.com On January 31, 2008, when the Winograd Commission submitted its final report on the Second Lebanese War of July 2006, this was a first in Israeli history: a report on why the Israeli military had failed in a war. The Winograd Commission offers a quite honest appraisal of some aspects of the July 2006 War. It acknowledges that it was “a serious missed opportunity.”
According to Press TV , Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary General Sheik Naim Qassem reaffirmed today that the movement has “100 percent solid evidence that Israel had killed martyr Mugniyah“. Interestingly, the Ha’aretz article had a somewhat different rendering of Sheikh Naim Qassem’s words: ” “we have clear proof, of 100 percent that cannot be doubted, that Israel is the head of the assassination” Qassem said there is no basis for the
