US approves first sale of laser-guided precision rockets to Saudi Arabia
The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) approved for sale to Saudi Arabia is a laser-guided rocket that can hit both airborne and surface targets, it said in a statement on Thursday.
'The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's capability to meet current and future threats and give it the ability to precisely engage targets with much less risk of collateral damage than other guided missile systems,' it said in a statement on Thursday.--agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
L'Orient-Le Jour
16 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Electoral law: Ongoing disputes in parliament subcommittee
BEIRUT — A subcommittee of Lebanon's joint parliamentary committees met Wednesday under the chairmanship of Parliament Vice President Elias Bou Saab to review seven proposed electoral laws, just months ahead of the 2026 legislative deadline. The debates, attended by Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar, Foreign Affairs Minister Joe Rajji, as well as member MPs, did not result in a vote due to "divergences within the committee," MP Saab explained after the meeting. "We have differences of opinion and I was keen that we should not proceed to a vote (...) These differences relate to whether we should limit the debate to amendments to the current law or examine all the laws proposed by MPs," he added, as quoted by the state-run National News Agency (NNA.) The 2017 electoral law, which has never been fully implemented, restricts the diaspora vote in the 2026 legislative elections to just six seats, as opposed to the 128 seats for which resident Lebanese vote. This is causing controversy. The diaspora vote in fact splits the political class into two camps: on one hand, those who want to confine its voters to the six seats, as specified by the 2017 law. The Aounist Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the allied Hezbollah and Amal parties. Meanwhile, around 68 MPs from the Lebanese Forces (LF,) Kataeb, PSP, the Change Bloc, independents, and others want to amend the law. They aim to make permanent a special change used in the 2018 and 2022 elections, which was based on constituencies of origin. Their proposal, submitted on May 9, calls for the pure and simple elimination of the six-seat clause, to allow the diaspora to vote for all 128 MPs according to their constituency of origin. "There are different points of view, and none of the MPs who submitted proposals is ready to withdraw theirs, with everyone insisting that the proposals be discussed," Saab added. "At the same time, it was suggested that priorities be set and submitted to Parliament so that it can decide on the merits of this proposal, or that all the proposals be brought before the General Assembly if disagreement persists, as long as the discussion proceeds calmly and without tensions," continued the subcommittee chair. This meeting was held as the government, at the subcommittee's request, set up a ministerial committee to study any bill the government would send for presentation to the committee. According to Saab, the 2017 electoral law poses "several problems." "The interior and foreign affairs ministers made observations about the current law, particularly concerning the implementation of provisions related to the election of six diaspora MPs, the magnetic card, and the modalities of expenses," he said. On the issue of the magnetic card, the interior minister indicated it would not be possible to put the smart card system in place by the election date. Together with his foreign affairs counterpart, he also decided to consider, within a technical committee, the issue of the six diaspora MPs. "The committee submitted these observations to the prime minister, who will present them to the Council of Ministers. Once the government has adopted an official position on the matter, it will inform us and we will follow up accordingly," emphasized the subcommittee chair. Commenting on the meeting, LF MP Georges Adwan considered that, given the current disputes, it is no longer possible, just a few months ahead of the vote, to study new proposed laws: "We no longer have the luxury of being able to study new laws given the current differences. A roadmap needs to be established to resolve the six seats issue, while stressing the necessity of a vote by non-residents for all 128 MPs," he noted. "Lebanon needs to thoroughly study every aspect of the system after the weapons issue is resolved, in order to reach a new electoral law different from the previous one," he continued, urging people to "move away from politics of axes and aim for citizenship."
L'Orient-Le Jour
16 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
'Israel blew up the Port,' Zeaiter says, points Lebanese Army's 'responsibility'
BEIRUT — Former MP and public works minister Ghazi Zeaiter dismissed all accusations levied against him in the Beirut Port explosion case as "politically and media-driven, not judicial," during an interview published on Wednesday by Kalam Inas. According to the state-run National News Agency (NNA), which cited the interview, Zeaiter told journalist Inas al-Jarmakani that "Israel blew up the Port," and that "a great responsibility lies with the Lebanese Army," pointing to its role in authorizing the entry of hazardous materials to the Port, notably ammonium nitrate, which would later cause the explosion. Zeaiter repeatedly missed hearings before the investigating judge at the Court of Justice, Tarek Bitar, who had summoned him as a suspect in the investigation into the double explosion at the Beirut Port on Aug 4, 2020. Bitar had to suspend his investigations in January 2023, due to the hostility of a large part of the political class, notably Hezbollah, as well as a series of lawsuits directed against him. He resumed his investigation in early 2025 and has already interrogated several former officials, including former Prime Minister Hassane Diab and former Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk. The devastating event, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, destroyed a large part of the Lebanese capital, killing more than 220 people and injuring 6,500. This blast started with a fire in a Port warehouse where tons of ammonium nitrate were being improperly stored, despite repeated warnings to the highest authorities, which now stand accused of negligence. Zeaiter was minister of public works and transport in 2014 at the time of the ammonium nitrate was unloaded at the Port, allegedly brought there by a Russian ship. For the first time, Zeaiter revealed documents he received during his tenure as minister of public works, including 'a letter from the Russian embassy concerning the poor conditions of the Russian sailors aboard the ship,' as well as another letter from the Ukrainian embassy inquiring about the failure to implement a judicial decision issued by Judge Jad Maalouf to refloat the Russian ship. In both cases, he claimed that the "necessary actions were taken." While refusing to place blame on anyone — 'out of respect for the blood of the Port martyrs and the tears of their families' — Zeaiter stated: 'A great responsibility falls on the Lebanese Army,' explaining that 'the entry of ammonium nitrate or any dangerous materials requires a permit from army intelligence.' 'Even the minister of public works needs permission from army intelligence and security agencies to visit and inspect the Port,' he added. 'I exercised my legitimate right to defend myself' 'Judge Sawan had mentioned suspicions surrounding 12 ministers and four prime ministers, yet he only sent a letter to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri regarding suspicions against PM Hassan Diab, MPs Ghazi Zeaiter and Ali Hassan Khalil, and former Minister Youssef Fenianos," Zeaiter said. "That's when doubts began to arise about the politicization of this case. I exercised my legitimate right to defend myself.' Zeaiter also revealed that 'Investigative Judge Tarek Bitar gave guarantees to Abbas Ibrahim, Nohad Machnouk, and Hassan Diab to appear before him without being detained. A similar offer was made to me through a lawyer — to appear and present all the evidence and documents I have, without being detained.' Zeaiter said he 'refused Bitar's offer as it violates legal procedures,' noting that he had already submitted a recusal request against Bitar and that his prosecution should fall under parliamentary jurisdiction. He disclosed that after Judge Sawan filed charges, he visited Berri, who told him: 'If I knew you and MP Ali Hassan Khalil were responsible, I would be the first to hold you accountable. I protect the Constitution, not individuals.' Zeaiter said that Berri had called for a parliamentary meeting devoted to the issue of lifting the immunity on sitting MPs, following a petition signed by 26 members of parliament. However, quorum was not met, as most parliamentary blocs had not been present. 'Israel is the one that bombed the Port' Zeaiter maintained that he believed Israel was behind the Port explosion. 'Israel is the one that bombed the port,' he insisted, stating that "some people saw Israeli aircraft in the sky, and the destruction caused resembled that of recent Israeli military operations." Residents reported hearing airplane sounds seconds before the blast, with some describing a whistling noise similar to a jet engine, however the director of Bellingcat recently told L'Orient-Le Jour that while it's possible, there is no evidence to support the theory and other experts have responded to the theory saying the fire that preceded the explosion could have made sounds resembling that of fighter jets. As for the clash that occurred between the neighborhoods of Chiyah and Ain al-Rummaneh following a protest by Hezbollah and Amal Movement supporters against Judge Bitar, Zeaiter claimed: 'The demonstrators did not enter Ain al-Rummaneh. It was the Lebanese Forces who fired at the protesters.' When asked what he would do if a formal indictment found him guilty, Zeaiter replied: 'We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.'
L'Orient-Le Jour
2 days ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Abdallah introduces two bills concerning public sector employees
BEIRUT — MP Bilal Abdallah on Tuesday introduced two bills in Parliament, one concerning public sector contract workers and the other relating to the accumulation of years of seniority for civil servants, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA). The first bill allows public sector contract workers to choose, at the end of their service, between a severance indemnity paid by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), or a retirement pension. The second bill enables civil servants employed and covered by the retirement system to 'accumulate their previous years of service' in public administration, the Lebanese University, Parliament or the Public Sector Employees' Cooperative, whether that service was permanent or temporary, contractual, daily, or on a per-task basis. Civil servants held a strike in July after the government approved a series of pay raises for several categories of high-ranking officials, a move that several public sector unions described as 'contemptuous,' as public employees' salaries have still not been adjusted to their pre-2019 crisis levels, when the Lebanese pound underwent a severe depreciation.
