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His Excellency Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh al-Khulaifi participated Tuesday in Cairo in a high-level preparatory meeting held within the framework of preparations for the upcoming international conference to support the Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces of Lebanon, scheduled to take place in Paris.During the meeting, international positions were co-ordinated and the necessary outcomes were arranged in a manner that contributes to strengthening the capacity of Lebanese security institutions to carry out their duties in maintaining security and stability.In his remarks, HE the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Qatar's firm and supportive stance towards Lebanon and its brotherly people, underscoring its commitment to supporting state institutions, foremost among them the Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces, in a way that enhances stability, preserves Lebanon's sovereignty and unity, and contributes to creating conducive conditions for economic recovery and the consolidation of security.His Excellency reiterated that Lebanon's stability constitutes a fundamental pillar for the stability of the entire region.In this context, he noted that Qatar has consistently supported the Lebanese Army as a pivotal national institution, including by supporting the salaries of its personnel over the past four years, providing fuel over the past three years, and extending other contributions aimed at enhancing its capabilities and enabling it to fulfill its national duties.He further stressed the importance of concerted international and regional efforts to support Lebanon during this critical phase, in alignment with the aspirations of the brotherly Lebanese people for stability, development, and prosperity. 

Hezbollah warned Saturday that it would have no choice but to fight on after an Israeli strike on targets in Lebanon killed eight of its operatives.Lebanon's government has vowed to disarm Hezbollah, but Israel insists it retains the right to defend itself by striking the fighter group.On Friday, the Israeli military said it had hit Hezbollah command centres in eastern Lebanon and targets linked to the Palestinian group Hamas in the south.**media[419500]**Hezbollah said Saturday that eight of its fighters had been killed, after Lebanon's health ministry said 10 people died in the east and two in the south."What happened yesterday in the Bekaa is a new massacre and a new aggression," Hezbollah official Mahmud Qamati said, in a speech broadcast by the Al-Manar network."What option do we have left to defend ourselves and our country? What option do we have other than resistance? We no longer have any option."Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun also condemned the attacks, which came just days after the government said the army will start implementing the second phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah in the south of the country.The strikes came as tensions were also building between the US and Iran, with US President Donald Trump threatening military action over the Islamic republic's nuclear programme.Iran backs several armed groups in the region, including Hezbollah and Hamas.In Lebanon's eastern city of Baalbek, a mass funeral was held for commander Hussein Mohammad Yaghi and one of the fighters, with hundreds of people gathered, waving Hezbollah flags and chanting support.A Hezbollah official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP all eight members of the group were attending a meeting in the eastern Bekaa region when a strike killed them.The Israeli military said it had targeted "several fighters of Hezbollah's missile array in three different command centres in the Baalbek area".An AFP correspondent in eastern Lebanon saw a bulldozer clearing debris following the strike on Bednayel, and a heavily damaged building between Riyak and Ali al-Nahri, where the Hezbollah official said the members were meeting.The raids were against targets in residential areas, according to the correspondent.They came hours after an Israeli strike on the country's largest Palestinian refugee camp in the south killed two people, according to the health ministry, with Israel's army saying it had targeted Hamas.In a statement, Hamas condemned the attack, which it said led to civilian casualties as the targeted building "belongs to the joint security force charged with maintaining security and stability in the camp".Israel has kept up regular strikes on Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire that sought to halt more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, usually saying it is targeting the group, but occasionally also Hamas fighters.Aoun called Friday's attacks "a blatant act of aggression aimed at thwarting diplomatic efforts" by the US and other nations to establish stability.Washington is one of five members of a multinational committee overseeing the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, with the body scheduled to meet again next week.Hezbollah lawmaker Rami Abu Hamdan said the group "will not accept the authorities acting as mere political analysts, dismissing these as Israeli strikes we have grown accustomed to before every meeting of the committee".He called on Beirut to "suspend the committee's meetings until the enemy ceases its attacks".Lebanon's government last year committed to disarming the group, with the army saying last month it had completed the first phase of the plan covering the area near the Israeli border.Israel, which accuses Hezbollah of rearming since the war, has called the Lebanese army's progress on disarming the fighter group insufficient. 

Lebanon and Jordan are seeking a solution with Syria after the latter barred foreign trucks from entering its territory, officials from both countries said Tuesday. Damascus had issued a decision on Saturday stipulating that “non-Syrian trucks will not be allowed to enter” the country, and that goods being imported by road must be unloaded at specific points at border crossings. The decision exempts trucks that are only passing through Syria to other countries. Dozens of trucks unable to enter the country were lined up on the Lebanese side of the Masnaa border crossing Tuesday, an AFP photographer saw. Ahmad Tamer, head of land and maritime transportation at the Lebanese transport ministry told AFP that discussions were underway with Damascus over the decision. He said the issue was not specifically targeting Lebanon — which is trying to reset ties with Damascus after the fall of Bashar al-Assad — adding that he hoped to hold a meeting with the Syrian side soon.Lebanon sends around 500 trucks to Syria per day, according to Tamer. In Jordan, also affected by the decision, transport ministry spokesperson Mohammed al-Dweiri told AFP that “discussions are currently underway, and we are awaiting a response from the Syrian side regarding allowing foreign trucks to enter and cross”. Dweiri said that Jordanian trucks were continuing to unload their cargo at the free zone at the Nassib border crossing with Syria despite some “confusion”. Around 250 Jordanian trucks travel to Syria daily, according to him. A source in the Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs told AFP that the decision aimed to “regulate the movement of cargo through the ports”. Representatives of unions and associations in Lebanon’s transport sector denounced the decision Tuesday and warning of “negative repercussions”, according to the state-run National News Agency. Syria is the only land route Lebanon can use to export merchandise to wealthy Gulf markets. As part of continued attempts to rekindle ties, the two countries signed an agreement on Friday to hand around 300 Syrian convicts over to Damascus. 

His Excellency Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi met Sunday with Lebanon's ambassador to Qatar Bilal Kabalan. During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations and ways to support and strengthen them.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) came under attack by forces affiliated with the Israeli entity in southern Lebanon.In a statement, UNIFIL said that two of its units were fired upon with live ammunition from machine guns at close range while carrying out patrols near Kfar Shouba in southern Lebanon, without resulting in any casualties.The statement added that the gunfire originated from a position belonging to Israeli forces south of the Blue Line, and that UNIFIL submitted a request to cease fire through its established communication channels.UNIFIL had previously informed Israeli forces of its activities in those areas, in accordance with standard procedures for patrols in sensitive areas near the Blue Line.The statement called for an end to aggressive behavior and attacks on forces working to promote peace and stability along or near the Blue Line, noting that such incidents have occurred repeatedly and constitute serious violations of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.

An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed one person Saturday, Lebanon's health ministry said, in the latest attack despite a nearly year-long ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah group. In a statement, the ministry attributed the death to "an Israeli enemy strike" on a vehicle in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah.The ministry also reported that a grenade dropped by an Israeli drone in the southern town of Shaqra wounded five people. Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported several more strikes elsewhere in the south and east, but no casualties reported so far.The Israeli military said it struck "several Hezbollah launchers that were recently identified and placed in military sites in southern Lebanon". The army also hit "two Hezbollah military sites... including weapons storage facilities and additional military structures", according to its statement. It did not immediately comment on the deadly incident in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah.The NNA identified the man killed as Kamel Reda Qarnabash, saying he was driving at the time. The Israeli army earlier Saturday had said that it killed a Hezbollah member in a strike the day before. "In a targeted strike the (Israeli army) eliminated a Hezbollah fighter in the Froun area in southern Lebanon" on Friday, the military said in a statement.It alleged the Hezbollah member had "advanced fighter attacks against the State of Israel" and its forces. The Lebanese health ministry said Friday that an Israeli strike on a vehicle in Froun killed one person. Lebanon has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024 — which sought to halt more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah — by continuing its strikes and maintaining forces inside its territory.Israel has said Hezbollah is working to rebuild its military capabilities, accusing the group of breaking the ceasefire terms. According to the health ministry, more than 330 people have been killed in Lebanon and 945 wounded since the ceasefire.An Israeli strike on Tuesday night on the Ain al-Hilweh camp for Palestinian refugees in southern Lebanon killed 13 people. On Friday, Israel said it had targeted "fighters" from the Palestinian Hamas group, allied with Hezbollah, in the strike on the camp on the outskirts of the coastal city of Sidon. Israel's military "is operating against Hamas's establishment in Lebanon", it said in Friday's statement.A secondary school in the camp said in a statement on its Facebook page on Thursday that two of its students were killed, publishing an image of two adolescent boys. The US has sought to pressure the Lebanese government to make Hezbollah hand over its weapons, which the group has so far refused to do.

The State of Qatar strongly condemned the Israeli raid that targeted Ain Al Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon, which resulted in martyrs and wounded.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a statement on Thursday that this raid represents a brutal attack on the defenseless Palestinian people and the sovereignty of the sisterly Lebanese Republic, as well as a flagrant violation of international laws and conventions, stressing, in this context, the need for the international community to act urgently to stop the dangerous Israeli attacks that threaten to spread chaos and violence in the region.The Ministry reiterated the State of Qatar's position supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, in addition to the just Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people.

For Mohamad Haidar, Lebanon captain and national team player, the FIFA Arab Cup carries significant importance for his nation. Now, with the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 set to take place this December, he stands a chance to lead his country further into the tournament than they've ever been before. "The first Arab Cup we played in Qatar was a wonderful experience," Haidar reflects. "We got to play on some of the world's most modern football facilities. From the moment we arrived to stepping into the stadiums for matches, it was an experience that resonated with fans globally." ‏During the 2021 edition held in Doha, Haidar captained the side through their group stage campaign, which included a 1-0 victory over Sudan. However, the team did not advance past the group stage. For Haidar, the FIFA Arab Cup 2025™ represents another shot at glory: "When the Lebanese national anthem plays, you feel emotions that transport you to your country," said Haidar. "You sense how deeply you want to defend your flag', and that drives you to achieve victories that bring joy to your people and elevate your nation's name on the global stage." Lebanon have been drawn into Group D alongside reigning champions Algeria, Iraq, and the winner of Bahrain v Djibouti.First, Lebanon will face Sudan in a crucial qualifier on 26November at Thani bin Jassim Stadium. "As a player, I give everything on the pitch. I always give my allto make our fans happy and deliver achievements that make our fans proud in front of the whole world," he explains. On the prospect of the best teams in the Arab world, Haidar said: "The Arab Cup brings together the strongest teams in Arab football but we're hungry, we're united, and we're determined to go further than we ever have. Every match is an opportunity to show what Lebanon can do." Looking ahead, Haidar emphasised the significance of the FIFA Arab Cup™ as a platform to showcase rising Arab talent on the global stage: "Every player dreams of moments like this. We've prepared hard, we believe in what we can achieve, and we're ready to fight for Lebanon on the biggest stage. When we take the field, the entire nation will be with us." The FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™ will take place from 1-18 December with 23 teams competing to lift the coveted trophy.

An Israeli airstrike on a vehicle in Rashaya Al Wadi, eastern Bekaa, killed two people, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.The attack coincided with Lebanese Army live-fire drills in Ras Al Naqoura, involving artillery fire toward the sea. Authorities urged civilians and fishermen to steer clear of the training zone.

Two people were killed on Saturday in an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon.According to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA), an Israeli drone strike targeted two brothers from the southern Lebanese town of Shebaa, hitting their car on the road connecting Ain Atta to Shebaa, on the western slopes of Mount Hermon in eastern Lebanon.NNA reported that the strike set their vehicle on fire, killing both men.A ceasefire agreement in south Lebanon came into effect on November 27 last year, stipulating the withdrawal of Israeli forces from border villages and towns in south Lebanon within 60 days.Subsequently, Beirut government extended the deadline until February 18, but Israeli occupation forces remained stationed at five locations and continued to carry out violations.

Lebanon's health ministry said on Sunday that Israeli strikes on the country's south and east had killed three people, despite an ongoing ceasefire deal, as Israel claimed it had targeted two members of Iran-backed Hezbollah.Officials said one person had been killed in an "Israeli enemy strike" on a car in Naqoura, in Tyre province, while another strike on a vehicle in Nabi Sheet, in the country's eastern Baalbek region, resulted in another fatality.Later, the health ministry said a further strike on the town of al-Hafir, also in the Baalbek area, resulted in the death of a Syrian national and an injury to another Syrian.Despite a nearly year-long ceasefire, Israel has kept up strikes on Lebanon, often saying it is targeting Hezbollah positions.In a statement on Sunday, the Israeli army said it had killed Ali Hussein al-Mousawi in eastern Lebanon, describing him as "a weapons dealer and smuggler on behalf of Hezbollah".The Israeli military said it had also killed a local Hezbollah representative it identified as Abd Mahmoud al-Sayed, in southern Lebanon.Israel has intensified strikes in recent weeks, with several deadly attacks launched over the past few days.Last week, a United Nations special rapporteur told AFP that deadly Israeli strikes on ostensibly civilian vehicles in Lebanon could amount to war crimes, despite Israel's assertion they targeted Hezbollah members.As part of last year's ceasefire deal, Israeli troops were to withdraw from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah was to pull back north of the Litani River and dismantle any military infrastructure in the south.Under US pressure and fearing an escalation of Israeli strikes, the Lebanese government has moved to begin disarming Hezbollah, a plan the movement and its allies oppose.Despite the terms of the truce, Israel has kept troops deployed in five border points it deems strategic.

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani met Wednesday Army Commander of the sisterly Republic of Lebanon Brigadier General Rodolphe Haykal, who is visiting the country.Discussions during the meeting reviewed aspects of bilateral cooperation and means of enhancing and advancing them, in addition to the latest developments in Lebanon and a number of issues of mutual interest.HE Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed Qatar's support for Lebanon's army and state institutions, as well as its continued solidarity with the brotherly Lebanese people.