Israel to Syria: No plans to attack Lebanon

Following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Paris, the French president coordinated the transfer of a message from Israel to Syria.

The message is that Israel does not intend to attack Syria or Lebanon and that Damascus should stop transferring weapons to Hezbollah and training its fighters in Syria. (more…)

Murder suspect on the loose in Lebanon

The Lebanese Forces leadership claimed on Sunday that murder suspect Hanna al-Barsoui has disappeared. A member of the political party said they are helping the security forces in apprehending him.

During a press conference on Sunday, Lebanese Forces bloc MP Strida Geagea called on Hanna al-Bardaoui—who allegedly killed Tony and Nayyef Saleh in the Koura village of Dahr al-Ain on Friday—to turn himself in to judicial authorities as soon as possible. (more…)

Israel sends nuclear missile equipped submarines to Iran

Israel is sending three submarines with nuclear cruise missiles to the Persian Gulf near the coast of Iran, The Sunday Times reported.

The British newspaper said one of the submarines – designed to act as a deterrent and collect intelligence — was already sent for fear of any possible missile attack on Israeli sites by Hebzollah, Iran and Syria. (more…)

Israel: Power to hit Hezbollah if needed

Former Israeli Chief of Staff Dan Halutz stressed Sunday that the Israeli army has the power and ability to “hit” Hizbullah and its weapons arsenal.

He told Israel Radio: “There is nothing worrisome or frightening in Hizbullah’s arsenal, whether it’s the Scud or the anti-aircraft missiles that it received and still receives from Syria.” (more…)

Voter turnout at 52% in North Lebanon

The Interior Ministry issued a statement on Sunday that the average voter turnout as of 5 p.m. for North Lebanon’s municipal elections reached 52 percent.

Areas involved in Sunday’s election include Batroun, Zgharta, Bcharre, Koura, Akkar, Donniyeh-Minieh, and Tripoli.

Voters head to the polls in North Lebanon

Voters in north Lebanon headed to the polls amid tight security on Sunday for the fourth and last stage of municipal elections.

The elections are seen as a test for coexistence in a nation where sectarian resentment continues 20 years after the end of a 1975-1990 civil war. (more…)

Power was cut in Hezbollah’s Beirut stronghold due to repair work

Electricite du Liban said Beirut’s southern suburbs are witnessing more power rationing due to repair work on one of the transformers by a western expert. Over a hundred Dahiyeh residents took to the streets to protest power cuts, using burning tires to block a public road leading to Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport for around two hours on Friday in southern suburb of the capital, a Hezbollah stronghold. (more…)

Aoun linked to man deported from U.S. over national security

The U.S. has deported six Lebanese men of “national security interest”, at least one of which is linked to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, “an ally of Hizbullah,” an official with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement said.

Also among the Lebanese deportees was a man wanted by Lebanese law enforcement on a murder conviction related to a house bombing, he said. (more…)

Franjieh accused of inciting greater division among Lebanese

Suleiman Franjieh on Saturday accused Samir Geagea of being a “criminal” following the murder of two party members.

“This criminal [Geagea] remains a criminal, and he was [initially] sentenced to death. He came out of prison [in 2005] based on a law made for himself only, and not based on amnesty,” Franjieh said. (more…)

Two brothers killed by rival Christian faction member

Two brothers, Tony and Naif Saleh, were shot dead Friday at the hands of Hanna al-Barsaoui in the northern town of Dahr al-Ain in the al-Koura district.

The victims were members of Suleiman Franjieh’s Marada Movement and the alleged killer is a member of rival Christian political party Lebanese Forces, led by Samir Geagea. (more…)