Latest news with #Hezbollah-linked
Shafaq News
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Global mediation advances in Israeli hostage case in Iraq
Shafaq News/ Negotiations are progressing between Iraq, the US, Israel, and other international parties to secure the release of Elizabeth Tsurkov, the Israeli-Russian academic abducted in Baghdad nearly two years ago. Citing Israeli officials, the Times of Israel reported that Tel Aviv has enlisted US support, alongside other governments, to mediate her release. Sources suggest a breakthrough could occur within a week. A source familiar with the matter told Shafaq News that talks have entered a new phase, following Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's directive instructing state agencies to stay out of direct negotiations. The discussions are now led by US intermediaries, and are centered on the capture of Hezbollah-linked figure Imad Amhaz—a Lebanese marine captain—by Israeli special forces, along with five others, including two Iranian nationals. While Hezbollah has not claimed affiliation with Amhaz, his detention, along with the others, has reportedly become a key bargaining chip. According to the source, Tsurkov is in good health and is currently being held in a neutral Arab country serving as both host and guarantor. Previous negotiations also included ransom demands as high as $500M, later reduced to $200M, though no financial agreement has been confirmed. Tsurkov disappeared while conducting field research in Iraq and is believed to have been abducted by Kata'ib Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-aligned armed group. However, the group has denied any involvement in the incident.
NDTV
23-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
CIA Station Chief Who Was Tortured For 14 Months, Then Killed By Hezbollah
New Delhi: For 444 days, William Buckley, a decorated CIA officer, was not just missing. He was trapped, shackled and tortured. Isolated in a Beirut cell so dark and silent it erased the distinction between days and nights, reality and memory. He was a prisoner of Hezbollah during Lebanon's civil war, a conflict where lives disappeared as quickly as buildings crumbled, in 1984. He survived war zones before. He had stared down danger in some of the most volatile regions on Earth. But nothing could prepare him for this. The Man Behind The Mission William Francis Buckley wasn't just another spy. He was a Vietnam War veteran and a seasoned CIA field officer with over 30 years of service. Those who knew him described a man of contradictions: deeply religious yet trained in deception, Midwestern polite yet hardened by global conflict. He was part of the old guard - agents who still believed in the romance of espionage, in handshakes and gut instincts over satellite feeds and spreadsheets. Sent to Beirut in the aftermath of a deadly embassy bombing in 1983, his mission was to rebuild the CIA's broken network in a country teetering on the edge of collapse. The situation, however, was far from manageable. Iran-backed militias were gaining ground, and American involvement in Lebanon, especially its backing of Israel, made US operatives prime targets. The Kidnapping On March 16, 1984, the CIA's top man in Beirut stepped out of his apartment in the Ramlet al-Baida neighbourhood, likely headed to work. Minutes later, Hezbollah-linked militants grabbed him, bundled him into a car, and vanished into the city's broken underbelly. The agency had warned him. He had been told to travel with protection. But Buckley, a fiercely independent man with a deep sense of duty, often moved alone. That morning, it made him an easy target. He disappeared into Beirut's shadow war. The CIA's most vital presence in Lebanon was gone. The Captivity Buckley was moved between locations before being held in what many believe was the underground facility known grimly as the "Beirut Hilton." There, the torture began. He was beaten, tortured, interrogated while drugged, kept in isolation, denied basic medical care, and left to rot in the dark. There were no Geneva Conventions here. No Red Cross visits. No way to mark the passage of time except perhaps the cracks in the walls or the rhythm of his own breathing. He had trained for this. He had rehearsed how to mentally survive. To survive, Buckley reached inward. Bible verses. Film dialogues. Faint echoes of conversations long past. All the mental armour he had forged in his CIA training. But even the strongest minds have their breaking point. His came in a windowless cell where the world forgot him. The End According to later reports, including from fellow hostage David Jacobson, Buckley was heard coughing violently in the summer of 1985. Then came the sound of a struggle. Guards shouting. Something heavy dragged across the floor. It was June 3, 1985. That night is widely believed to be when William Buckley died. He had been gone for over 14 months. A Fractured Reaction Inside the CIA, Buckley's abduction caused a storm. Some officers feared he was dead from the start. Others clung to hope. CIA Director William Casey was among them. He refused to add Buckley's star to the agency's memorial wall, insisting they keep trying. He even approached Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, to explore a prisoner swap. But the Israelis, based on their own intelligence, believed Buckley had already been killed under torture. When Hezbollah eventually announced his death, they released a photo of his bruised and dead body, along with sensitive CIA documents he had been carrying. His body was never returned. Legacy Of A Fallen Spy William Buckley's story didn't end with his death. In 2002, rumours emerged of a possible burial site near the Mediterranean. Two men dug feverishly, hoping to recover his remains. It turned out to be a hoax. Eventually, the CIA did add Buckley's star to the Memorial Wall at Langley. His case helped reshape how the CIA works in hostile zones. It also played an indirect role in the Iran-Contra affair, where desperate moves were made to secure other hostages by dealing arms to Iran.
Shafaq News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
US: $10M for Hezbollah info in South America
Shafaq News/ The US State Department has offered up to $10 million for information that disrupts Hezbollah's financial networks in South America. Through its 'Rewards for Justice' program, the department urged the public to report Hezbollah-linked money laundering, smuggling, or other illicit financial activities, in the Tri-Border Area of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, asserting, 'Hizballah operates in regions far from its base in Lebanon.' Hizballah operates in regions far from its base in Lebanon, including in South you have information on Hizballah smuggling, money laundering, or other financial mechanisms in the Tri-Border Area, contact us. You could be eligible for a reward and relocation. — Rewards for Justice (@RFJ_USA) May 19, 2025 The announcement comes days after the US Treasury imposed new sanctions on four individuals accused of facilitating Hezbollah's financial networks, including figures based in Lebanon and Iran. Hezbollah has been classified as a 'terrorist' group by Washington since October 31, 2001. US authorities have consistently targeted individuals and networks tied to Hezbollah's financing, including those generating crucial revenue for the group.
Shafaq News
10-05-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Lebanese authorities tighten grip on Beirut Airport
Shafaq News/ Lebanon has tightened security at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport in a bid to curb Hezbollah-linked smuggling operations, drawing cautious approval from US and Israeli officials, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Thursday. The overhaul includes mandatory security checks for all flights, the suspension of incoming flights from Iran since February, and the dismissal of airport employees reportedly linked to Hezbollah, according to senior Lebanese security and military officials cited by the report. Additionally, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told the WSJ that the country is making rare progress in confronting smuggling networks. 'You can feel the difference,' he affirmed. 'We're doing better on smuggling for the first time in the contemporary history of Lebanon.' The report also revealed that Lebanese authorities recently intercepted an attempt to smuggle over 50 pounds of gold through the airport, allegedly destined for Hezbollah. A senior US official involved in monitoring the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah described the reforms as promising. 'It has only been six or seven months, and we have stepped to a place that I am not sure I thought was achievable back in November.' Despite the improvements, Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon have continued, with Israeli officials saying the group remains in violation of the ceasefire agreement reached late last year, the WSJ added. Responding to the allegations, Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Mousawi stated that the group had suffered losses but suggested rearming efforts were ongoing. He dismissed claims that Hezbollah controls the airport, saying the group is 'part of the system, just like any other Lebanese constituency.'
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel launches new airstrikes in southern Beirut targeting ‘Hezbollah missiles'
Israel conducted an air strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, targeting a building it claimed was used by Hezbollah and testing a fragile ceasefire with the Iranian-backed militant group. Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, said the strike targeted a Hezbollah 'store of precision-guided missiles', which he argued posed a 'significant threat to the State of Israel'. A huge plume of smoke rose from the building nearly an hour after the Israeli Army ordered residents of the Hadath neighbourhood to evacuate, live footage from Reuters showed. Lebanon condemned the attack, calling on the US and France, who brokered the ceasefire, to press Israel to halt its actions. Lebanese president Joseph Aoun said in a statement: 'Israel's continued actions in undermining stability will exacerbate tensions and place the region at real risk, threatening its security and stability.' This marked Israel's first strike in nearly a month on the Dahiyeh area, where Hezbollah is based, and raised concerns over the ceasefire's stability. Although the ceasefire has largely held, Israel has continued strikes on Hezbollah-linked targets, citing perceived threats. 'The storage of missiles in this infrastructure site constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, and poses a threat to the State of Israel and its civilians,' the Israeli military said in a statement. BREAKING: Chaotic scenes in Dahieh in the southern suburbs of Beirut as Israel issues an evacuation order announcing the targeting of a building close to two schools. Traffic is gridlocked as people try to make their way to safety. — Steve Sweeney (@SweeneySteve) April 27, 2025 A Lebanese Civil Defence report confirmed no casualties and that the fire from the strike was extinguished, according to the BBC. The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, expressed concern, noting the panic the strike caused among those hoping for a return to stability. 'Today's strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut generated panic and fear of renewed violence among those desperate for a return to normalcy,' she wrote on X. 'We urge all sides to halt any actions that could further undermine the cessation of hostilities understanding and the implementation of SCR 1701,' she added, referring to the United Nations Security Council resolution that ended the month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. The moment of the Israeli attack in the Dahiya region of Beirut, a known Hezbollah stronghold. — Cheryl E 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🎗️ (@CherylWroteIt) April 27, 2025 Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel 'will not allow Hezbollah to grow stronger'. BREAKING: Gunfire in the Hadath area of Dahieh, Beirut as residents are warned to leave the area as Israel announces it is going to strike a building in a busy residential area. — Steve Sweeney (@SweeneySteve) April 27, 2025 'The Dahiyeh neighbourhood in Beirut will not serve as a safe haven for the terrorist organisation Hezbollah,' it added. Meanwhile, Israel is also facing accusations of breaking international law by blocking aid to Gaza, as dozens of countries present arguments this week at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Since 2 March, Israel has cut off all supplies to Gaza's 2.3 million residents, with food reserves nearly depleted. Israel insists it will not allow aid until Hamas releases all hostages, despite calls from Germany, France, Britain, and the US to allow humanitarian access.
