Lebanon has a new government headed by Najib Mikati, ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hizballah. Formed suddenly on June 13, the 30-minister lineup has earmarked an unprecedented 18 portfolios – including defense and interior – to Hizballah loyalists and pro-Syrian politicians. While fighting the uprising against his rule, Bashar Assad has recaptured Beirut. The appointment of his friend Suleiman Franjiyeh as defense minister places the army at the service of Damascus and portends trouble on the Lebanese-Israeli border.
Read moreDEBKAfile Special Report
A man has been arrested suspected of cutting the gas pipe and causing the huge explosion and fire which wrecked a four-story residential building on Independence Square in the Israeli seaside town of Netanyahu after midnight Thursday, June 16. Large teams of paramedics and fire fighters were called in and fought their way into the building amid a strong smell of gas. Four people were killed on the spot and another 96 injured – most with minor injuries.
Read more
Posts
