Latest news with #ThaierAl-Sudani
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
US plan sees Hezbollah disarmed by year-end, Israeli withdrawal
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Men carry Hezbollah flags while riding on two wheelers, at the entrance of Beirut's southern suburbs, in Lebanon, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo BEIRUT - The United States has presented Lebanon with a proposal for disarming Hezbollah by the end of the year, along with ending Israel's military operations in the country and the withdrawal of its troops from five positions in south Lebanon, according to copy of a Lebanese cabinet agenda reviewed by Reuters. The plan, submitted by U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy to the region, Tom Barrack, and being discussed at a Lebanese cabinet meeting on Thursday, sets out the most detailed steps yet for disarming the Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has rejected mounting calls to disarm since last year's devastating war with Israel. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lebanese government ministers could not immediately be reached for comment. Hezbollah had no immediate comment on the proposal. Israel dealt major blows to Hezbollah in an offensive last year, the climax of a conflict that began in October 2023 when the Lebanese group opened fire at Israeli positions at the frontier, declaring support for its militant Palestinian ally Hamas at the start of the Gaza war. The U.S. proposal aims to "extend and stabilise" a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel brokered in November. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Liquor licences for F&B, nightlife venues extended to 4am in Boat Quay, Clarke Quay Singapore Chikungunya cases in Singapore double; authorities monitoring situation closely Singapore Student found with vape taken to hospital after behaving aggressively in school; HSA investigating Asia Cambodia, Thailand agree on Asean observers monitoring truce, but fundamental differences remain Asia Trump ratchets up tariff pressure on India, sparking despair among exporters and growth fears Singapore CDC and SG60 vouchers listed on e-commerce platforms will be taken down: CDCs Asia Australia's purchase of Japanese frigates signals a new era for Indo-Pacific security Singapore Some ageing condos in Singapore struggle with failing infrastructure, inadequate sinking funds "The urgency of this proposal is underscored by the increasing number of complaints regarding Israeli violations of the current ceasefire, including airstrikes and cross-border operations, which risk triggering a collapse of the fragile status quo," it said. Phase 1 of the plan requires the Beirut government to issue a decree within 15 days committing to Hezbollah's full disarmament by December 31, 2025. In this phase, Israel would also cease ground, air and sea military operations. Phase 2 requires Lebanon to begin implementing the disarmament plan within 60 days, with the government approving "a detailed (Lebanese army) deployment plan to support the plan to bring all arms under the authority of the state". This plan will specify disarmament targets. During Phase 2, Israel would begin withdrawing from positions it holds in south Lebanon and Lebanese prisoners held by Israel would be released in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). During Phase 3, within 90 days, Israel will withdraw from the final two of the five points it holds, and funding will be secured to initiate rubble removal in Lebanon and infrastructure rehabilitation in preparation for reconstruction. In Phase 4, within 120 days, Hezbollah's remaining heavy weapons must be dismantled, including missiles and drones. In Phase 4, the United States, Saudi Arabia, France, Qatar and other friendly states will organise an economic conference to support the Lebanese economy and reconstruction and to "implement President Trump's vision for the return of Lebanon as a prosperous and viable country". REUTERS
Straits Times
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah warns US against intervening in Israel-Iran conflict
FILE PHOTO: A mourner attends the funeral of a commander from Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah armed group who was killed in what they called a \"Zionist attack\" in the Syrian capital Damascus on Friday, during a funeral in Baghdad, Iraq September 22, 2024. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo BAGHDAD -Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah warned on Sunday it would resume attacks on U.S. troops in the region if the United States intervenes in the conflict between Israel and Iran. 'We are closely monitoring the movements of the American enemy's army in the region," Kataib Hezbollah Secretary-General Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi said in a statement. "If America intervenes in the war, we will act directly against its interests and bases spread across the region without hesitation.' Founded in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah is one of the elite Iraqi armed factions closest to Iran. The group, a key pillar of Iran's network of regional proxy forces, has claimed responsibility for dozens of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. forces in both Iraq and Syria. Early last year, Kataib Hezbollah announced the suspension of all its military operations against U.S. troops in the region in response to efforts by the Iraqi government. Kataib Hezbollah is part of a coalition of Iran-aligned groups known collectively as the "Axis of Resistance" — an umbrella of hardline Shi'ite armed factions that have claimed more than 150 attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since the onset of the Gaza war about 20 months ago. Iraq, a rare ally of both Washington and Tehran, is striving to avoid upsetting its fragile stability while focusing on rebuilding after years of conflict. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
US preparing to evacuate embassy in Iraq over security risks, sources say
FILE PHOTO: A view of the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq August 29, 2022. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States is preparing to evacuate its Iraqi embassy due to heightened security risks in the region, three U.S. and two Iraqi sources said on Wednesday while a U.S. official said military dependents could also leave Bahrain. The sources did not specify which security risks had prompted the decision to evacuate and the State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran if stuttering talks over its nuclear programme fail and on Wednesday he said he was growing less confident that Tehran would agree to stop enriching uranium, a key American demand. Iranian Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said Iran would hit U.S. bases if the nuclear talks failed, leading to war. "The State Department is set to have an ordered departure for (the) U.S. embassy in Baghdad. The intent is to do it through commercial means, but the U.S. military is standing by if help is requested," a U.S. official said. An Iraqi foreign ministry official said a "partial evacuation" of U.S. embassy staff had been confirmed due to what the official termed "potential security concerns related to possible regional tensions". U.S. military dependents in Bahrain can temporarily depart due to the heightened regional tensions, a U.S. official told Reuters. Another U.S. official said that there was no change in operations at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East and that no evacuation order had been issued for employees or families linked to the U.S. embassy in Qatar, which was operating as usual. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed, Timour Azhari, Daphne Psaledakis and Idrees Ali, writing by Jaidaa Taha and Yomna Ehab; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Deepa Babington)
The Star
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Iraq applies to host Asian World Cup qualifying group
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Group B - Iraq v South Korea - Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq - June 5, 2025 Iraq fans inside the stadium during the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo (Reuters) - The Iraqi Football Association (IFA) has submitted an official request to host one of the two groups in the fourth round of Asian qualifiers for next year's World Cup in North America. Iraq will finish third or fourth in Group B in the third round, with 12 points ahead of their final match against Jordan in Amman on Tuesday. "We had sent a letter to International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) calling for the highest levels of transparency and fairness in the process of selecting the host country or countries for the fourth round of the Asian qualifiers," IFA said in a statement on Facebook. The IFA has said it is fully prepared to assume all organisational, security and financial obligations associated with hosting matches, with support from the Iraqi government and state institutions. In the fourth round of qualifying, the six teams who finished third and fourth in the third-stage groups will be divided into two groups. The top team in each group will qualify directly for the World Cup finals and the two teams finishing second will compete in a playoff to decide who will represent Asia in an international playoff. (Reporting by Ahmed El Khashab, editing by Ed Osmond)
The Star
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-South Korea beat Iraq to qualify for 11th successive World Cup
Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Group B - Iraq v South Korea - Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq - June 5, 2025 South Korea's Kim Jin-Kyu celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
