With Its Masters In Tehran Weakened, There Is A Golden Opportunity To Free Lebanon From Hezbollah

With Its Masters In Tehran Weakened, There Is A Golden Opportunity To Free Lebanon From Hezbollah

Erick Stakelbeck

We can’t talk about the Iranian regime’s 47-year reign of terror without talking about Hezbollah. The Lebanon-based terror group is the crown jewel among Iran’s many regional proxies.

Iran’s Ayatollahs created Hezbollah back in 1982, and over the past several decades, the so-called “Party of Allah” grew into the world’s most powerful terrorist organization.

Hezbollah had 150,000 rockets and missiles and a fleet of attack drones at its disposal, not to mention the tens of thousands of fanatical foot soldiers ready and willing to storm across the border and invade Israel from its base in southern Lebanon.

It would have been October 7th on steroids. But a funny thing happened on the way to Hezbollah’s conquest of northern Israel.

It all began on September 17th, 2024, when Israel carried out the now-legendary beeper operation that put thousands of top Hezbollah fighters out of action. Then came the elimination of Hezbollah’s military and political leadership, including Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah. Israel followed those takeouts with a ground invasion that pushed Hezbollah back beyond the Lotani River, some 20 miles from the Israel-Lebanon border.

And now, Israel is well on its way to finishing the job and ensuring that Hezbollah never threatens the Jewish state in any meaningful way ever again.

On Tuesday, representatives from Israel and Lebanon met in Washington, D.C. for historic peace talks aimed at ending Hezbollah’s dark influence in Lebanon, where they’ve really established a state within a state, all with the active support and funding of the Iranian regime. The good news is the talks seem to have gone very well.

“We discovered today that we’re on the same side of the equation,” Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, who led the Israeli delegation, said. “That’s the most positive thing we could have come away with.”

“We are both united in liberating Lebanon from an occupation power dominated by Iran called Hezbollah,” he underscored. “Lebanon is under their occupation, and we are suffering from their constant barrages of missiles and terror attacks trying to cross our border.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat in on the meetings, and he shared the ambassador’s optimism. Hezbollah and its masters in Tehran have never been weaker, and there is a golden opportunity here to free the people of Lebanon from Hezbollah’s demonic grip.

“This is about bringing a permanent end to 20 or 30 years of Hezbollah’s influence in this part of the world,” Rubio stated. “Not just the damage it’s inflicted on Israel, the damage it’s inflicted on the Lebanese people. We have to remember, the Lebanese people are victims of Hezbollah. The Lebanese people are victims of Iranian aggression, and this needs to stop.”

“I know this will be a process,” he continued, “all of the complexities of this matter are not going to be resolved in the next six hours, but we can begin to move forward to create the framework where something can happen, something very positive, something very permanent, so the people of Lebanon can have the kind of future they deserve, and so that the people of Israel can live without fear of being struck by rocket attacks from the terrorist proxy of Iran.”

Lebanon ceasefire deal allows IDF to strike against ‘planned, imminent or ongoing attacks’

Lebanon ceasefire deal allows IDF to strike against ‘planned, imminent or ongoing attacks’

Jacob Magid

The text of the 10-day ceasefire agreement Israel agreed to in Lebanon allows the IDF to carry out strikes against “planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks,” but bars “offensive” operations against any Lebanese target.

“Israel shall preserve its right to take all necessary measures in self-defense, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks. This shall not be impeded by the cessation of hostilities,” reads the text of the agreement released by the US State Department, which says the document was approved by Israel and Lebanon.

“Besides this, [Israel] will not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets, including civilian, military and other state targets, in the territory of Lebanon by land, air and sea,” the agreement says.

The agreement says that the initial 10-day ceasefire can be extended by mutual agreement if progress is made during subsequent negotiations between the sides and “as Lebanon effectively demonstrates its ability to assert its sovereignty.”

The text also states that Lebanon will take “meaningful steps” to prevent Hezbollah and other non-state armed groups from carrying out attacks on Israel once the 10-day truce is in place.

Israel and Lebanon have requested that the US facilitate further direct talks between their countries “with the objective of resolving all remaining issues, including demarcation of the international land boundary, with a view to concluding a comprehensive agreement that ensures lasting security, stability and peace between the two countries,” the text states.

The memorandum of understanding also says that the sides “will work to create conditions conducive to lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border, while preserving Israel’s inherent right to self-defense.”

The MOU says both countries recognize the significant threat non-state armed actors, such as Hezbollah, pose to Lebanon’s sovereignty and regional stability.

Israel and Lebanon also recognize that armed non-state actors must therefore be curtailed so that the Lebanese security forces are the only ones in the country allowed to bear arms.

“Israel and Lebanon affirm that the two countries are not at war and commit to engaging in good-faith direct negotiations, facilitated by the United States, with the objective of achieving a comprehensive agreement that ensures lasting security, stability, and peace between the two countries,” the MOU says.

Trump announces 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon

Trump announces 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon starting at midnight

Israel National News

US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire would go into effect at midnight tonight in Lebanon. The ceasefire will last ten days.

In a post to Truth Social, Trump wrote: "I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel. These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST."

He added: "On Tuesday, the two Countries met for the first time in 34 years here in Washington, D.C., with our Great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. I have directed Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Rubio, together with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Razin' Caine, to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve a Lasting PEACE. It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let's GET IT DONE! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

In a later post, the President wrote that he will be inviting Netanyahu Aoun to the White House for what he called "the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983, a very long time ago. Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly!"

An Israeli official clarified to Reuters that the IDF does not have plans to withdraw from southern Lebanon during the ceasefire.

Under the ceasefire arrangement in Lebanon, IDF forces will remain on the "anti-tank line," which is the furthest point from which an anti-tank missile could be launched at Israeli communities, and will not withdraw from the dominant positions they have taken in southern Lebanon.

It was also stated that in the event a threat from Hezbollah or other militants is identified, the IDF will be authorized to act to eliminate it.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the ceasefire, noting that it was "a central Lebanese demand we have pursued since the first day of the war, and was our primary goal in the Washington meeting on Tuesday."

He continued: "As I congratulate all Lebanese on this achievement, I pray for the martyrs who fell, and affirm my solidarity with their families, with the wounded, and with the citizens who were forced to flee their cities and villages, and I hold full hope that they will be able to return to them as soon as possible."

Axios reported earlier on Thursday, citing a Lebanese presidential source, that US President Donald Trump had contacted President Joseph Aoun and officially notified him of a ceasefire decision that will go into effect within hours.

An Israeli official confirmed that due to US pressure, there is a move toward a settlement with Lebanon, but no final agreement has been reached.

According to reports, the Americans were the ones who initiated the talks, thinking that direct talks between the parties would lead to the declaration of a permanent or temporary ceasefire.

Despite the optimism, Hezbollah quickly put a damper on the reports. Minutes after the reports of ceasefire were released, the terrorist organization launched a volley of five missiles at Haifa and the bay area. Some of the missiles were intercepted by the Iron Dome, and others fell in open areas.

On Wednesday night, President Trump announced on Truth Social: "Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice!"

However, a Lebanese source claimed that when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio asked President Aoun if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could join a phone conversation between them, the Lebanese leader vehemently refused.

After Aoun did not respond to Trump’s earlier proposal for a trilateral call, Marco Rubio informed the Lebanese president that Trump would continue contact with him at a later stage. Reports in Lebanon emphasized that Aoun “insisted on an immediate ceasefire" and received a promise from Rubio to intensify efforts.

Earlier in the afternoon, a direct hit was identified on a building in Kiryat Shmona following a barrage launched toward the city and surrounding area. Magen David Adom teams who scanned the scene reported no casualties, though property damage was caused.

‘We will use force’: Pentagon chiefs describe naval blockade of Iran, say ships are making wise choice not to try to run it

‘We will use force’: Pentagon chiefs describe naval blockade of Iran, say ships are making wise choice not to try to run it

 Times of Israel is liveblogging Thursday

Speaking at the Pentagon, Joint Chiefs chair Gen. Dan Caine says US forces “will actively pursue any Iranian flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran” — anywhere in the world.

He issues a clear warning to any targeted vessel attempting to circumvent a US blockade: “Turn around or prepare to be boarded… We will use force.”

Caine describes the effort as a “blockade of Iran’s ports and coastline” with enforcement “inside Iran’s territorial seas and in international waters.” He notes that US forces in other areas of the world, including the Pacific, also will pursue vessels tied to Iran.

The blockade “applies to all ships, regardless of nationality, heading into or from Iranian ports” and includes “dark fleet vessels carrying Iranian oil.” He defines these as “vessels or those illicit or illegal ships evading international regulations, sanctions or insurance requirements.”

Caine says more than 10,000 sailors, marines and airmen using ships, planes and helicopters are working to enforce the blockade.

Any vessel that approaches the blockade is first warned to turn around or be boarded. Warning shots and other escalatory tactics could also be used, Caine says.

Caine says that so far no ships have had to be boarded. “Thirteen ships have made the wise choice of turning around,” he says.

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Global Tensions Surge as War Becomes a Permanent Engine of Profit Power and Control in 2026

Global Tensions Surge as War Becomes a Permanent Engine of Profit Power and Control in 2026

Milan Adams

In early 2026, the tone of global reporting has shifted in a way that is difficult to ignore, even for those who have long followed geopolitical developments with a critical eye. What once appeared as isolated conflicts, regional escalations, or temporary crises has gradually converged into something far more continuous and structurally embedded. The language used by officials remains familiar—security, deterrence, stability—but the environment in which those words operate has changed. The world is no longer moving between peace and war in recognizable cycles. Instead, it appears to be settling into a prolonged state where tension is not an interruption, but a constant variable shaping economic, political, and social systems simultaneously.

Recent data emerging throughout the first quarter of 2026 indicates that global military expenditure has not only maintained its upward trajectory but has accelerated in response to overlapping crises across multiple regions. Defense budgets in major economies have expanded again this year, often with broad bipartisan or cross-party support, framed as necessary responses to an increasingly unpredictable international landscape. However, what stands out is not simply the scale of this spending, but its permanence. Unlike previous decades, where military surges were often followed by periods of contraction, current projections suggest sustained high-level investment extending well into the next decade, with long-term procurement programs already locked into place.

This continuity has had a direct and measurable impact on the private sector. Defense contractors have reported record backlogs in 2026, with production schedules extending years into the future. Rather than reacting to immediate demand, these companies are now operating within a framework of anticipated, ongoing need. Manufacturing capacity is being expanded not as a precaution, but as a strategic alignment with what industry leaders describe as a “new baseline” for global security requirements. The implications of such a shift are significant, as it suggests that instability is no longer viewed as a temporary disruption, but as an enduring condition around which business models can be reliably constructed.

Financial institutions have also adapted to this environment with notable efficiency. The scale of funding required to sustain prolonged geopolitical tension is immense, and the mechanisms facilitating this flow of capital have become increasingly sophisticated. Governments continue to rely on a combination of direct spending, borrowing, and complex financial instruments to support defense initiatives, while banks and investment entities play a critical role in structuring and maintaining these systems. The result is a financial architecture that not only absorbs the economic shock of conflict but, in many cases, stabilizes and even benefits from it over time.

At the political level, the alignment with these developments is equally apparent. Leaders across multiple nations have emphasized the necessity of preparedness in the face of evolving threats, often citing intelligence assessments and strategic forecasts that point to a prolonged period of global uncertainty. Legislative bodies have responded by approving funding packages with increasing frequency and scale, frequently under expedited procedures that reflect the urgency conveyed by executive authorities. While debate still occurs, it is often limited in scope, constrained by a broader consensus that prioritizes immediate security concerns over long-term fiscal or structural considerations.

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