AnewZ Morning Brief - 31 January, 2026
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 30th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 30th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Lebanon plans to transfer more than 300 Syrian prisoners to Syria under a bilateral agreement between the two countries, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri said on Friday.
Explosions shook parts of southern Lebanon on Friday night as Israeli strikes rippled across the Zahrani district, with the blasts travelling toward the coastal city of Sidon.
The head of Hezbollah has issued a statement calling for mobilisation in support of Iran, using religious language and references to armed struggle that have raised concern among regional observers.
Israel said on Thursday that its forces struck Hezbollah positions across several areas in Lebanon after accusing the group of repeated ceasefire violations.
Israel has sharply escalated its warnings to Lebanon amid rising regional tensions linked to Iran, according to a report by the Lebanese newspaper Nida Al Watan.
Iran does not seek war with Israel or the United States but is prepared to respond if attacked, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday (8 January ) as economic protests sweep the country and Tehran's crackdown reportedly intensifies.
Israeli air strikes in Gaza and Lebanon have raised fresh concerns about the durability of ceasefire agreements, after deadly attacks were reported in both territories.
Israeli media report that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chaired a lengthy security meeting that reportedly focused on the country’s regional threats, including Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
Israel’s military said it had killed a member of Iran’s Quds Force in Lebanon accused of planning attacks against Israel from Syria and Lebanese territory. The statement was issued on Thursday.
Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms could be addressed at a later stage.
The U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of M1085A2 and M1078A2 Medium Tactical Vehicles (MTVs) and related equipment to Lebanon, with the total cost estimated at $90.5 million, the Pentagon’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said Friday.
Pope Leo XIV will end a three-day visit to Lebanon on Tuesday (2 December), concluding his first overseas trip as Catholic leader with an urgent appeal for peace in the Middle East and a warning that humanity’s future is threatened by the world’s bloody conflicts.
Pope Leo XIV visited Martyrs’ Square in Beirut on Monday, the second day of his Apostolic Journey to Lebanon, where he met with Christian and interreligious leaders to promote dialogue and unity among different faiths.
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Beirut on Sunday, marking the second stop of his first overseas trip since becoming pontiff in May. The visit, coming directly from Türkiye, is being hailed as a moment of spiritual encouragement for a nation struggling with deep political and economic crises.
Pope Leo travels to Lebanon on Sunday to deliver an appeal for peace in a country repeatedly struck by Israeli air raids, completing the second and final leg of his first overseas trip as head of the Catholic Church.
Pope Leo condemned violence in the name of religion on Friday at a landmark event with Christian leaders from across the Middle East, urging them to overcome centuries of heated divisions.
The U.N. human rights office has called for an investigation into Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, which have killed at least 127 civilians since a ceasefire was agreed nearly a year ago.
Pope Leo will embark on his first trip outside Italy as the leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, travelling to Türkiye and Lebanon, where he is expected to make appeals for peace in the region.
An Israeli airstrike on the southern Lebanese city of Sidon killed 13 people and wounded several others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry on Tuesday (18 November).
In southern Lebanon’s Bkassine forest, once famous for its pine nuts, a silent crisis is stripping trees bare and leaving workers without livelihoods.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of November, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon after ordering evacuations, accusing Hezbollah of rebuilding its forces despite a year-old ceasefire, as Lebanon and the United Nations warned of renewed border tensions.
Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Thursday that it had "a legitimate right to resist (Israeli) occupation", adding that it would support the Lebanese army.
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