Lebanese Civil War

Israel strikes Lebanon saying it has thwarted a large-scale Hezbollah attack, while the Lebanese group announces its own cross-border raids to avenge a top commander's killing.

The Israeli military said its fighter jets had destroyed "thousands" of Hezbollah rocket launchers "aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel", far from the border.

Germany has vehemently refuted accusations of aiding in genocide in Gaza, as presented in a lawsuit brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by Nicaragua. Tania von Uslar-Gleichen, legal adviser for the German Foreign Ministry, dismissed Nicaragua's claims as rushed and lacking substantial evidence during proceedings at the ICJ.

All parties should support the Lebanese government to hold general elections on time, the Turkish foreign minister said on Nov. 16.

"Everyone needs to support the government to find solutions to the crises in Lebanon and to hold the general elections on time," Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told reporters during a joint news conference with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib.

Turkey conveyed its condolences to Lebanon on Oct. 14 after shootings in the capital Beirut left several demonstrators dead.

Expressing sorrow for the demonstrators killed by unidentified shooters during a protest held in Beirut on Thursday, a statement by the Foreign Ministry said it hoped those responsible would be caught and brought to justice as soon as possible.

"Six rockets were launched from Lebanon towards northern Israel, but all of them landed within Lebanese territory. In response, our artillery forces fired at targets from which rockets were launched", the Israeli army said.
The explosions were heard around the Misgav Am kibbutz in northern Israel just before the Israeli army announced that it had responded with artillery fire.

Turkey on Feb. 16 commemorated diplomat Oktar Cirit, who was assassinated on Feb. 16, 1976 in Lebanon's capital Beirut. 

Cirit, Turkey's first secretary at the Turkish Embassy in Beirut, was killed by the Armenian terrorist organization ASALA, the Turkish Foreign Ministry noted in a Twitter post.

A Maronite Christian party has quit the Lebanese government amid mass protests against plans by the coalition cabinet for tax increases.

I happened to be in Beirut last week. It was a good chance to catch up with Lebanese and regional politics and see friends. Besides, I could follow the Armenian Genocide commemoration. It was a sad week for Lebanon to mark two tragic events, since it also marked the 40th anniversary of the Lebanese civil war. 

Poet Amal al-Jubouri uses blogging and video to help Iraqis cope with the horrors they face, aiming to overcome sectarian divisions threatening to break the country apart

“Amal, do you want me to propose you for president of the republic and live in the Presidential Palace?” “Forget it, Antonis, I will stay with the hunk!”