Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) officials have reportedly reached a consensus on measures to take against Hezbollah, after deputy interior ministers from the six member states met in Riyadh yesterday. Arab countries have in recent months become increasingly vocal in demanding that the international community take action against the Shiite organization,...

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Gulf states are again slamming Hezbollah over the Iran-backed terror group’s role in bolstering the regime of Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad: In a meeting held in Manama over the weekend, ministers said Hezbollah’s continued involvement in Syria hindered holding another conference to restore peace. The attendees called for putting an...

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Scores of people were killed in the latest wave of attacks across Iraq Tuesday, raising concerns that a full-blown sectarian war may break out in the country. Iraq is weathering its deadliest outburst of violence since 2008, with more than 2,000 people killed since the start of April. The bloodshed...

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Israel’s political and military echelons are watching the situation unfolding in Egypt closely, and are analyzing the multiple scenario presented by the unrest. A senior Israel security source who spoke to The Tower on condition of anonymity given the diplomatic and military sensitivity of the issue evaluated the chance of...

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Syrian government troops launched a major offensive over the weekend on rebel-held areas within the strategic city of Homs. The attacks are part of a campaign that observers believe is aimed at consolidating the Bashar al-Assad regime’s control in the aftermath of the regime’s Hezbollah-backed success in seizing the strategically critical city of...

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There had been suggestions made by some foreign policy analysts suggesting that President-elect Hassan Rouhani’s election could “provide an opportunity” to productively engage Iran regarding the critical role being played by Tehran and its Lebanese terror proxy Hezbollah in bolstering the regime. Iranian parliament member Ahmad Bakhshayesh made declarations this week that seem...

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U.S. defense officials are moving to stabilize the Middle East from multiple threats, ranging from potential spillover from the Syrian conflict to a resurgent Al Qaeda. Among the options being considered is a boost in security assistance to Lebanon. Joint Chiefs chairman General Martin Dempsey made the case to reporters...

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The geopolitical dynamics along the Syrian-Israeli border have focused on the degree to which the Syrian conflict has endangered the U.N.’s peacekeeping mission. But the violence has more dramatically impacted – and in far greater numbers – innocent Syrian civilians. Israel has made concentrated efforts to help mitigate the impact of the...

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Gulf states are calling attention to the critical roles being played by Iran and its Lebanese terror proxy Hezbollah in propping up the embattled Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal accusing the Shiite-backed regime of conducting a “genocide” against largely Sunni rebel forces. Speaking...

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The State Department yesterday posted that Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Anne C. Richard will be in Amman through tomorrow meeting with government officials and humanitarian workers. Richard’s visit comes as the country’s refugee crisis – triggered by the war in neighboring Syria – threatens to...

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