Lebanon
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Israel FM urges US to end UNIFIL mission in Lebanon

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has failed in its mission to prevent Hezbollah's military buildup south of the Litani River, Israel Hayom newspaper said Tuesday.

In his letter to Rubio, Sa'ar called for the immediate termination of UNIFIL's operations in south Lebanon.

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Salam visits Jordan, says Israel 'more isolated' than ever

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Tuesday during a visit to Jordan that Israel will get more and more isolated in the world amid the measures it is carrying out in the West Bank and Gaza.

Jordan's Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan said during the meeting that his country supports Lebanon and backs its sovereignty, security and stability, lauding a decision by the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah and extend the state's authority over the entire Lebanese territory.

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One of Lebanon's biggest Captagon factories destroyed after Iraqi tip

One of Lebanon's largest factories making the highly addictive amphetamine Captagon has been discovered and destroyed as part of rare security cooperation between intelligence agencies in Iraq and Lebanon, Iraq's Interior Ministry said.

The announcement late Monday came a month after the Lebanese Army issued a statement about the discovery of a drug factory in Yammoune village in the eastern Bekaa Valley with large amounts of drugs inside.

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Geagea hopes Hezbollah will respect govt. decisions to avoid state's use of 'force'

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has stressed that no one is targeting the Shiite community in the current period, describing it as “an essential component of Lebanon.”

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Aoun stresses importance of UNIFIL's presence in south

President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday warned against ending the United Nations peacekeepers' mandate in the country's south, after the U.N. Security Council began debating extending their mission.

The annual mandate renewal this year comes after Lebanese authorities, under heavy U.S. pressure, have committed to disarming Hezbollah by year end, following a November ceasefire deal that sought to halt more than a year of hostilities between the Iran-backed group and Israel.

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UN debates future withdrawal of Lebanon peacekeeping force

The United Nations Security Council began to debate Monday a resolution drafted by France to extend the U.N. peacekeeping force in south Lebanon for a year with the ultimate aim to withdraw it.

Israel and the United States have reportedly opposed the renewal of the force's mandate, and it was unclear if the draft text has backing from Washington, which wields a veto on the Council.

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Salam tells Barrack of need for int'l conference for reconstruction, recovery

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Monday told visiting U.S. envoy Tom Barrack that the government’s latest decisions on Hezbollah’s disarmament “stemmed from the higher national interest.”

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Berri tells Barrack Israeli pullout 'gateway to stability'

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday asked visiting U.S. envoy Tom Barrack about Israel’s commitment to the ceasefire agreement and its withdrawal from Lebanon, stressing that “this is the gateway to stability in Lebanon and an opportunity to launch reconstruction and pave the way for residents’ return to their towns, in addition to securing the requirements for supporting the Lebanese Army.”

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Israeli official says withdrawal after Lebanon takes 'actual steps'

An unnamed Israeli official on Monday responded to remarks by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who is visiting Lebanon, by saying that “there is no intention to keep occupying Lebanese territory.”

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Netanyahu says Lebanon strikes in line with ceasefire agreement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that “the bombing on Lebanon is taking place according to the ceasefire agreement.”

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