But let me be clear: Peacekeeping operations should only be deployed when a peace agreement or at least a robust ceasefire is in place. We cannot keep peace when there is no peace to keep.
Archiv: 1-04-2024 Israeli airstrike on Iranian embassy in Syria / 14-04-2024 Iranian airstrike on Israel / Lebanon Invasion / Syria Invasion / Yemen War / Iran War 2025 / attack on Qatar / West Asia War
UNIFIL says ‘entire neighborhoods’ wiped out in southern Lebanon
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Monday night that peacekeepers continue to report “extensive destruction” of civilian infrastructure across southern Lebanon, warning that entire neighborhoods have been wiped out and some destruction appears “systematic rather than selective.”
UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel told UN Radio that peacekeepers had documented widespread damage and destruction from Kafr Kila to Khiam and Naqoura.
Israel is a rogue nation. It should be removed from the United Nations
(October 15, 2024)
Over the past year, Israel has launched attacks on multiple countries and occupied territories: the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran.
Yet countries and territories aside, Israel has also targeted one specific organization with a series of unprecedented rhetorical and violent attacks.
Yes, the United Nations. We have all witnessed Israel, in effect, declare war on the UN.
Israeli forces reportedly use phosphorus shells in attacks on southern Lebanon
In 2024, images and footage shared by Human Rights Watch showed the munitions hitting residential buildings in the southern Lebanese border villages of Kafr Kila, Mays al-Jabal, Boustane, Markaba, and Aita al-Chaab.
Inhalation of white phosphorus fumes can cause respiratory injuries and asphyxiation, and inflict second- and third-degree burns to the skin.
In 2023, HRW revealed that Israeli forces had used the weapon on the densely populated Gaza Strip and on two rural areas along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Red lines not red carpets: Why Italy & Germany must support suspending EU-Israel Agreement
(May 11, 2026)
Millions of people around the world are demanding that their leaders act to stop Israel’s violations. Humanity must win.
Deutschland muss Aussetzung des EU-Israel-Abkommens zustimmen
(May 8, 2026)
„Die Aussetzung des EU-Israel Assoziierungsabkommens, gegen dessen Menschenrechtsklausel die israelische Regierung permanent verstößt, ist eine juristische und moralische Verpflichtung. Außenminister Wadephul hat die Wahl, Menschenrechte zum Eckpfeiler europäischer Israel-Politik zu machen – oder mit Doppelstandards weiter die EU zu spalten und internationales Recht auszuhöhlen,“ sagt Julia Duchrow, Generalsekretärin von Amnesty International in Deutschland.
„Deutschland sollte nicht länger dazu beitragen, dass Israels Gräueltaten folgenlos bleiben. Stattdessen sollte sich Außenminister Wadephul der Mehrheit der EU-Staaten anschließen und die überfälligen Schritte mittragen: die Aussetzung des Abkommens, ein Verbot des Handels mit illegalen Siedlungen sowie ein Ende sämtlicher Waffenlieferungen nach Israel“, sagt Philipp Frisch, Direktor von Human Rights Watch Deutschland.
Canadian official condemns Israel’s ‘unlawful invasion’ and announces new aid to Lebanon
Randeep Sarai, Canada’s secretary of state for international development, visited Lebanon to announce new humanitarian aid to the crisis-hit country, where the U.N. says some 360,000 people remain displaced as a result of the latest conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
“We have been working actively, I think, through diplomatic channels to do whatever possible to stop that and to allow Lebanese communities that are from those areas to be able to move back,” Sarai said in an interview with The Associated Press late Tuesday.
Blast kills 2 in southern Lebanon‘s Mayfadoun amid ongoing Israel attacks: News agency
At least two people were killed on Wednesday when the town of Mayfadoun was rocked by an explosion amid ongoing Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon that have included airstrikes, artillery barrages and ground incursions.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) attributed the explosion to a “suspicious object” left behind from a previous Israeli attack.
NNA also reported that a fire had broken out in the nearby town of Mansouri after an Israeli drone dropped explosive ordnance in the area.
UN: Keep International Force in Lebanon to Protect Civilians
(August 13, 2026)
In August 2025, the Security Council unanimously decided to extend the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which first deployed in 1978, one final time until the end of 2026, when it would begin a phased withdrawal. That decision came before the latest escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in March 2026—and before Israeli forces displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians and occupied large swathes of southern Lebanon. Deliberate acts of displacement may amount to the war crime of forced displacement.
“Pulling the plug on UNIFIL without a robust international force in place would effectively abandon millions of Lebanese civilians to an uncertain and potentially disastrous fate,” said Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch. “UN missions may not be a lasting solution, but the peacekeepers are a crucial deterrent against attacks on civilians and human rights abuses.”
President Aoun backs extending UNIFIL mandate, stresses need for international presence in south
President Joseph Aoun welcomed the parliamentary initiative and petition calling for an extension of the international forces’ mandate in southern Lebanon.
He said UNIFIL’s presence in the south is important for several reasons, including helping residents remain in their towns and villages and promoting stability in coordination with the Lebanese Army.
Lebanon‘s Aoun calls for extension of UNIFIL mandate
(August 17, 2026)
He said Israel had opposed UNIFIL‘s presence and „has been pressing in that direction for nearly a year,“ while Lebanon continued to call for the mission to remain.
(…)
UNIFIL has been deployed since 1978 to monitor the ceasefire along the Lebanese-Israeli border and support the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon.
Its current mandate is due to expire on December 31, 2026.
EU faces criticism for secret police data talks with Israel: Report
(August 15, 2026)
The European Commission has been negotiating a secret agreement to share sensitive personal data with Israel’s police service, despite internal legal warnings that the deal could violate international law and put Palestinians at risk, according to a new report by civil rights group Statewatch published by Novara Media, Anadolu reports.
The draft agreement, originally negotiated with the European police agency Europol, would allow the exchange of biometric data, genetic information, location data, political views, and personal details.
Critical research indicates the deal has progressed despite a 2022 ruling by the Council of the EU’s Legal Service which deemed the proposal legally untenable.
EU Moves to Share Data With Israel That ‘Could Be Used to Kill Palestinians’
(August 4, 2026)
Under the plans, the bloc’s law enforcement agency, Europol, would exchange sensitive personal information about Palestinians with Israel’s police force, which is headquartered in the illegally occupied West Bank.
There is also concern the deal could harm members of the Palestinian diaspora, with a risk that activists in Europe could be targeted.
The data would include names, identification numbers, locations, genetic and biometric information and details about people’s political views, beliefs and personal lives.
Artikel 25 [Allgemeines Völkerrecht als Bestandteil des Bundesrechts]
Die allgemeinen Regeln des Völkerrechtes sind Bestandteil des Bundesrechtes. Sie gehen den Gesetzen vor und erzeugen Rechte und Pflichten unmittelbar für die Bewohner des Bundesgebietes.
Deutschland muss Aussetzung des EU-Israel-Abkommens zustimmen
(May 8, 2026)
„Die Aussetzung des EU-Israel Assoziierungsabkommens, gegen dessen Menschenrechtsklausel die israelische Regierung permanent verstößt, ist eine juristische und moralische Verpflichtung. Außenminister Wadephul hat die Wahl, Menschenrechte zum Eckpfeiler europäischer Israel-Politik zu machen – oder mit Doppelstandards weiter die EU zu spalten und internationales Recht auszuhöhlen,“ sagt Julia Duchrow, Generalsekretärin von Amnesty International in Deutschland.
„Deutschland sollte nicht länger dazu beitragen, dass Israels Gräueltaten folgenlos bleiben. Stattdessen sollte sich Außenminister Wadephul der Mehrheit der EU-Staaten anschließen und die überfälligen Schritte mittragen: die Aussetzung des Abkommens, ein Verbot des Handels mit illegalen Siedlungen sowie ein Ende sämtlicher Waffenlieferungen nach Israel“, sagt Philipp Frisch, Direktor von Human Rights Watch Deutschland.
Lebanese officials ‘have lost all leverage’ after putting ‘all their eggs in the US-Israeli basket’
The Lebanese government has been left at the “mercy” of the US and Israel after signing on to the Washington-brokered framework agreement, argues Ziad Abu Rish, an associate professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Bard College in the US state of New York.
He noted that Zawthar al-Gharbiya remains the only village Israeli forces have withdrawn from under the framework agreement and Israel has since publicly declared it is no longer interested in creating additional withdrawal zones.
Photos: Aftermath of Israel’s deadly strikes in south Lebanon
A man reacts amid the rubble of a destroyed home that was hit by an Israeli air strike in the village of Ansar, southern Lebanon, Saturday [Mohammed Zaatari/AP]
Deadly dawn in south Lebanon: 11 killed in Israeli strikes on Ansar and Deir el-Zahrani
Since 3:30 a.m., southern Lebanon has woken up to one of the deadliest days since the large-scale fighting ended last June.
Inside a house in Ansar, two families who had been displaced from their areas during the previous war were seeking shelter in what they hoped would be a safer location.
The strike killed seven people, including children and two women, and wounded others, turning their displacement from war into death in a place of refuge.
The strike on Ansar was not the only attack.
Israeli forces carry out large explosion in Markaba town- Marjeyoun district, Fires break out in Bani Hayyan due to Israeli artillery shelling ofTown
NNA – Marjeyoun – Israeli enemy army carried out a large explosion in the town of Markaba, Marjeyoun district.
NNA correspondent reported that fires broke out in the town of Bani Hayyan, Marjayoun District, as a result of ongoing Israeli artillery shelling of the town.
Army Command: Continued Israeli attacks hinder completion of deployment and return of residents to the South
(August 12, 2026)
NNA – The Lebanese Army Command – Directorate of Orientation issued the following statement: „Israeli occupation forces continue their attacks and violations of existing understandings and international law, the latest of which was the demolition of the Zawtar al-Sharqiyah municipality building in Nabatieh, as well as the public school, dispensary, daycare center and several homes in the town. This confirms the occupation‘s continued destructive approach aimed at inflicting the greatest possible damage on southern villages and towns and preventing the establishment of stability.“
Iran‘s new Security Council shake-up reveals growing divisions over US deal
In the mid-1980s, Rezaei became involved in secret contacts with the United States during the Iran-Contra affair, in which Iran received American weapons while proceeds from the arms sales were diverted to support the Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani once told local media that his nephew, Ali Hashemi, a key intermediary in contacts with the administration of then-US President Ronald Reagan, had informed him and, subsequently, Rezaei about meetings with American officials.
Reopening Strait of Hormuz is a humanitarian imperative
It is worth recalling that the conflict did not begin over disputes about the Strait of Hormuz. As recently as February 28, commercial ships transited the waterway without restriction.
(…)
With the US maintaining the naval blockade during the ceasefire period, Iran responded by stopping and, in several cases, attacking vessels attempting to cross the Strait without its approval. Insurance rates spiked, shipping lines rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, and transit times increased by up to three weeks.
Wars of this nature benefit no party in the long term, and they rarely reach a logical conclusion. Their primary victims are innocent civilians who have no role in the conflict. Many civilians in Iran and Lebanon have lost their lives directly to strikes.
Inside the growing rift between Iran’s dealmakers and ultraconservatives
It was in this climate that a leaked video of Mohammad-Bagher Kharrazi, the brother-in-law of Masoud Khamenei, the younger brother of Iran’s supreme leader, emerged as part of what critics describe as a broader hard-line campaign.
In the video, Kharrazi claimed that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had “formally and publicly announced” that if Pezeshkian attempts to resign one more time, his resignation would be accepted.
(…)
Soon afterward, however, another audio file surfaced in which Ali Saeedi, a conservative senior figure close to the Khamenei‘s office, claimed that the supreme leader had expressed support for the negotiations and criticised hard-line opposition to diplomacy.
According to Saeedi, Khamenei told one of his brothers: “I have never opposed negotiations, and I still do not. I was the one who authorised the negotiations, and I am not satisfied with the hard-line positions adopted by some people.”
Saeedi also claimed that Khamenei supports Ghalibaf, saying: “He is like [the late Quds Force commander] Haj Qassem Soleimani.”
Iran’s military reshuffle signals more offensive strategy
Khoshcheshm noted the appointments could also herald a major restructuring of Iran’s security and military apparatus, with a greater focus on pre-emptive strikes and more powerful responses to any US attack.
While he does not believe Iran would attack the US “offhand with no reason”, he says the new leadership is preparing Iran to develop its capabilities for pre-emptive strikes and stronger attacks on US military forces and positions in the region.
He described the appointments as creating a “more offensive-minded leadership for Iran’s security establishment across the board”.
Iran‘s Security Reshuffle Exposes Rift Dating Back To Cease-Fire Deal
Rezaei is a commander who holds some of the most closely guarded secrets of the 1980s Iran-Iraq war and the IRGC‘s founding years, and for just as long, he‘s been a favorite target of Iranian political satire. Now, at 71, he‘s back at the center of the Islamic republic‘s security decision-making.
Rezaei traded his uniform for politics in 1997 and ran for president four times, dropping out before the vote in 2005, then losing in 2009, 2013, and 2021, never pulling in more than about 3.9 million votes.
Iran Reshuffles Military Leadership as Khamenei Appoints Six Senior Commanders
The appointments came one day after Khamenei named Major General Mohsen Rezaei as his representative to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) and appointed outgoing SNSC secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr as his political adviser.
President Masoud Pezeshkian separately appointed Rezaei as secretary of the SNSC, replacing Zolghadr.
Trump Threatens ‘Leakers’ With Jail Time Over Reports About Munitions Shortages
(August 6, 2026)
Media reports have also said that the US has used up nearly all of its ATACMS missiles and Precision-Strike Missiles, which were both used extensively in strikes on Iran.
Trump also responded to a report from The Washington Post that said he lashed out at US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth over the munitions shortages, which one source told the outlet was part of the reason why Trump held off on his threats to dramatically escalate the war.
Sources told the Post that on the sidelines of a recent cabinet meeting at Camp David, Trump vented his frustration at Hegseth over the munitions shortages. The report said that Hegseth then blamed his deputy, Stephen Feinberg, for both the shortages and for failing to ensure Trump was informed about the issue.
Renewed Iran War Would Test Diminished Interceptor Inventories
(July 27, 2026)
Note: Estimated inventories today account for additional interceptor use and new deliveries since the April 8 ceasefire. THAAD deliveries during the ceasefire outpaced estimated use over the same period, resulting in higher inventories today than in April. Patriot calculations include the latest MSE variant and PAC-3s. Several hundred PAC-2s, not represented in the chart, are estimated to remain in the U.S. inventory.
Source: Authors’ calculations based on FY 2027 DOD budget materials and publicly released information. Methodology detailed in Mark F. Cancian and Chris H. Park, “Last Rounds? Status of Key Munitions at the Iran War Ceasefire,” CSIS, April 21, 2026.
Netanyahu believes he can ‘continue to act with impunity’
Xavier Abu Eid, a political analyst and former adviser to the Palestinian negotiations team, says the Board of Peace and Resolution 2803 of the UN Security Council were accepted late last year because it was argued at that time that they were the only way to end the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
“But it was very clear from the very beginning that the 20-point plan of President Trump and the 15-point disarmament and implementation plan that followed were more about meeting Israeli interests than the Palestinian right to self-determination,” he said.
Der Iran wird zu einem Verlierer des Westasienkrieges
(July 19, 2026)
Irgendeine Gruppe oder Fraktion hat die Staatsführung des Iran übernommen, in deren Interesse nicht der Iran selbst, sondern die Fortführung des Krieges auf unabsehbare Zeit steht. Welche Rolle dabei der Sohn des in der ersten Angriffswelle auf den Iran am 28. Februar ermordeten „Obersten Führers“ („Supreme Leader“) Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei spielt, erscheint völlig unklar. Bisher ist er nicht in der Öffentlichkeit aufgetreten. Ausgerechnet über israelische Medien wird gestreut, dies werde so bleiben bis zum unabsehbaren Ende des Krieges. Die formal dem „Obersten Führer“ unterstellten Revolutionsgarden agieren gegen die iranischen Interessen. Gewinner des Krieges sind u.a. Ölmagnate, Kriegsproduzenten und der internationale geheimdienstliche Komplex, nicht zuletzt in der Russischen Föderation, sowie der zum Machterhalt auf Krieg und externe Bedrohung angewiesene Machthaber in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Dabei ist das Interesse der Kriegsgewinnler auf allen Seiten den Westasienkrieg insgesamt noch auszuweiten.
Wer will deutsche Soldaten im Libanon?
(August 14, 2006)
Eine Auflistung der Befürworter und Gegner der wichtigsten Entscheidung nach dem Irakkrieg
Lebanon, Israel agree shortlist of countries that could send troops to verify Hezbollah disarmament
The list was produced during meetings between Lebanon and Israel at the US embassy in Rome this week, the latest round of talks on how to implement a previous deal on 26 June that linked Israel‘s progressive withdrawal of troops from Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah, which would be „verified“ by a third party.
Hezbollah is not a party to the agreement and has refused to give up its arsenal.
„We have reached a short list of countries. We decided which parties were impossible for each and set the potential actors,“ the Lebanese official said.
„The Americans will now decide, and could pick more than one country.“
Exclusive: EU Commission still seeking controversial police agreement with Israel, despite warnings
(July 30, 2026)
Documents obtained by Statewatch through transparency requests show that Europol nevertheless hosted Israeli delegations—including representatives of the Israeli National Police—on at least four occasions between August 2024 and March 2026. The meetings, involving several departments within the agency, were facilitated by Israel’s liaison officer at Europol and culminated in a visit by Israel’s ambassador to the Netherlands to the agency’s headquarters in March 2026.
Red lines not red carpets: Why Italy & Germany must support suspending EU-Israel Agreement
(May 11, 2026)
Millions of people around the world are demanding that their leaders act to stop Israel’s violations. Humanity must win.
Iran’s leaders show a united front over the war but are divided over what the goal is
On one side, the ultra-hardliners who oppose any negotiations with the United States are pressing for total victory in the war. Known as the “Paydari” movement – Persian for “stability” – they are hard-core ideologues who want to enforce the Islamic Republic’s control over society.
On the other, those who support President Masoud Pezeshkian and powerful parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf — who doubles as Iran’s chief negotiator — see military pressure as a way to win a negotiated deal with the United States. This camp is also spurred by concern over the economic toll Iran is suffering from the war and the need to adapt to social change in the country.
Army: Five military personnel wounded in Israeli strike targeting army vehicle in Kafra
NNA – Army Command – Orientation Directorate announced in a statement that five military personnel sustained minor injuries in the town of Kafra (Bint Jbeil district) due to an Israeli strike while an army vehicle was escorting local residents.https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2080728745401368913?s=46
Israel Says It Killed Several Hezbollah Members on Key Lebanon Hilltop
A cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah has barely held in recent weeks, just as Israel and Lebanon have worked to implement a separate, U.S.-brokered agreement to end months of fighting. That deal calls for Israel to gradually withdraw from territory in southern Lebanon.