Topic: Hezbollah

Top galleries, list articles, quizzes

Briefing
Chemical weapons 101: Six facts about sarin and Syria’s stockpile

President Obama said Assad's use of chemical weapons would be a 'red line' for US. Did he use sarin or any other chemical weapon against his own people?
In key Syrian city, snipers and bombing tear at fabric of daily life

As rebels and the Syrian government battle for control of Aleppo, residents tap caution – and dark humor – to survive.
In Pictures: Julian Assange and the WikiLeaks Scandal
Four things Syria must do after Bashar al-Assad

It’s not too early to consider the way forward for Syria after Bashar al-Assad. Examples in other countries show that a transition will be greatly aided if Syrians can do these four things:
Iran vs. Israel: 8 recent attacks Israel blames on Iran

Yesterday's attack on Israeli tourists in the Bulgarian town of Burgas is the eighth major incident in which Israel has accused the Iranian government and its allies of planning to attack, or of attacking, Israeli citizens. Iran denies involvement in any of the incidents, but it accuses Israel of a string of deadly attacks on Iranian nuclear scientists over the past year.

All Content

How Arab Spring turned into protests and 'Death to America!'

An outbreak of violence in Afghanistan this weekend was testament to a clear trend: In Muslim countries now enjoying more political freedom, anti-American anger is coming to the surface.
US embassy in Lebanon destroying classified material

As a precaution amid rising anti-American protests, diplomats in the US Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, have started destroying classified material.
Terrorism & Security Iran nuclear threat: Netanyahu goes to the people - the American people, that is

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argues his case for establishing 'red lines' on Iran's nuclear program on NBC and CNN today.
Pope Benedict, on tour in the Middle East, calls again for peace

At an open-air Mass in Beirut on Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the horrors and deaths resulting from conflicts in the region, and appealed to Christians living in the Middle East to be 'peacemakers.'
Pope appeals for peace upon arrival in Lebanon (+video)

Considering the crisis in Syria and recent diplomatic violence in the Middle East, Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Lebanon Friday trying to calm nerves.
Focus Syria's rebel fighters vow no mercy for their own pro-regime family members

Free Syrian Army fighters told the Monitor that bringing down President Assad trumps family ties, and that they are willing to fight, or even kill, brothers and cousins fighting for the regime.
Rice, McCain criticize Obama foreign policies without mentioning bin Laden

Condoleezza Rice was a Republican National Convention crowd favorite. Rice and Sen. John McCain hammered Obama on defense spending, and foreign policy. But no mention was made of the killing of Osama bin Laden.
In Pictures: Julian Assange and the WikiLeaks Scandal
Terrorism & Security Russia, US spar over threat posed by Syria's chemical weapons

Russia sought to reassure the international community about the security and possible use of Syria's chemical weapons after Obama warned the Assad regime about 'red lines.'
Obama warns Syria of 'enormous consequences' (+video)

U.S. President Barack Obama threatened Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against using or moving weapons of mass destruction. Obama said the U.S. is preparing a 'range of contingency plans' should Assad ignore his warning.
Opinion: Why Israel shrugs at retaliation after attack on Iran

The threat of a simultaneous war with Iran's proxies – Hezbollah, Syria, and Gaza militants – is a key consideration for Israel as it weighs an attack on Iran. But Iran’s allies may not be as keen about going to war for the ayatollahs as Tehran would like, and the Israelis know it.
Terrorism & Security Kidnappings tied to Syria threaten Lebanon's fragile peace (+video)

Eleven Syrian nationals were kidnapped in Lebanon Thursday in a spree of abductions, raising concern about renewed violence there.
UN: War crimes on both sides in Syria

The UN Human Rights Council said Wednesday war crimes have been committed by both the Assad regime, and the rebels in Syria. Meanwhile, government war planes bombed a rebel-held town, killing more than 20.
Why Iran, more than Russia, may obstruct US goals in Syria

Russia has been the main obstacle on the international stage to US efforts to end Syria's violence, but on the ground Iran appears to be the main outside force propping up the Assad regime.
Backchannels Saudi Arabia and UAE urge citizens out of Lebanon after kidnappings

The growing spillover from the Syrian civil war, which included the kidnapping of over 30 Syrians in Lebanon today, prompted the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to tell their citizens to leave Lebanon.
Backchannels Syria's civil war and the geopolitics overtaking it (+video)

As Syria's civil war continues to deepen, so does the potential for regional mischief.
One kidnapping in Syria prompts kidnapping of 20-plus in Lebanon

Tit-for-tat kidnappings have ratcheted up tensions between Lebanon's Shiites, who largely back the Assad regime, and pro-opposition Sunnis.
Israeli PM appoints new homeland security minister

Benjamin Netanyahu says the mission of Israel's new Cabinet minister is to 'contribute to the security of the country.' Avi Dichter, now in charge of civil defense, comes from the country's secretive internal security department.
Syria's ex-Prime Minister: Regime on the verge of collapse (+video)

Riad Hijab speaks out for the first time since he fled Syria to Jordan. He said that morals are down in the Assad regime and that there are cracks in the military.
Keep Calm Good Reads: What it means to be the "other" in America

This week's better long form stories help us make sense of the deeper cultural issues behind Sunday's Sikh Temple shooting, as well as the immigrant experience in America.
Syria civil war rages: why Hillary Clinton is focused on what comes after

The US is eager to keep undesirable actors out of a post-Assad Syria, but when Hillary Clinton meets Saturday with senior Turkish officials and Syrian opposition figures, they'll want to discuss the raging civil war.
Opinion: Hillary Clinton must insist on a united Syrian opposition

When Hillary Clinton meets with Syrian opposition figures in Turkey this weekend, she must impress on them the need to unite their ranks and tolerate different views. Disunity in the opposition is perhaps the biggest reason why Bashar al-Assad remains in power.
Neighborhood fighting between Syrian forces and rebels continues in Aleppo

Syrian army soldiers moved into the Salaheddine district of Aleppo on Wednesday, pushing rebel fighters back as they attempt to control the north Syrian city.
Syria's Assad gets Iran backing as fighting continues (+video)

Iran pledges support for Assad's government in Syria. In the meantime, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warns against 'sectarian warfare' and hundreds more deaths mount.
Standard Chartered shares plunge after Iran allegations

Standard Chartered market value plummeted by nearly $12.5 billion after the New York state regulator accused the UK bank of being involved in laundering money for Iran. The share price for Standard Chartered tanked by 23 percent.