November 14, 2025
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the approval and thanked Washington for continuing what it described as a policy of regularized arms sales.
The State Department decision includes equipment, spare parts, and repair services for Taiwan’s fleet of US-made F-16 and C-130 aircraft, as well as components for its domestically produced Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF).
The Pentagon said the proposed sale “will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16, C-130,” and other aircraft.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said the package will help maintain fighter readiness, bolster air defenses, and strengthen the island’s ability to respond to China’s “gray-zone” incursions.
President Lai Ching-te’s government has vowed to ramp up defense spending amid China's continued military pressure around the island.
Taiwan’s presidential office called the deepening security partnership with Washington “an important cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Beijing expressed anger at the sale, repeating its claim that Taiwan is part of its territory.
China’s Foreign Ministry said “the Taiwan question is the core of China’s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China–US relations,” and warned that China will do what is necessary to defend its “sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.”
Taiwan requested the package earlier this year, seeking “non-standard components, spare and repair parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support for F-16, C-130, and Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) aircraft,” according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Trump has said Chinese President Xi Jinping told him he would not invade Taiwan while Trump is in office, a remark made after the two leaders met in South Korea as trade discussions continued.
Reuters reported there had been “fear in Taipei that there could have been some sort of ‘selling out’ of Taiwan’s interests,” which did not materialize as Washington proceeded with the sale.
Taiwan’s push to upgrade its defenses follows President Lai Ching-te’s praise of Israel as a model for the island. On 28 October, Lai said “Israel's determination and capacity to defend its territory provide a valuable model for Taiwan” and invoked the story of David and Goliath in describing China’s pressure.
Taipei City has unveiled plans for a new T-Dome air defense network, which a Reuters-cited source said was inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome and designed to create “a more thorough air defense net with a higher interception rate.” China accused Lai of “seeking independence by force.”
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has echoed this political shift, calling Israel’s backing “unmatched” and highlighting support from 72 Israeli lawmakers for Taiwan’s participation in international bodies. Lin criticized Palestine’s adherence to Beijing’s One-China position and said Taipei City wants human rights and national interest to align in its diplomacy.
Intelligence Online reported that Taiwan’s deputy defense minister secretly visited Israel for T-Dome assistance and that Washington approved the cooperation.
Citing US and Israeli officials, Axios reported on 14 November that negotiations are underway to renew the 2016 agreement that allotted $38 billion ($3.8 billion annually for 10 years) in military aid to Israel.
“Israel is likely to seek at least that much going forward,” on a yearly basis, Axios wrote, but over an even more extended period of time.
Israeli officials are seeking a 20-year deal this time, anticipating that locking in similar agreements may only become more difficult in the future as support for Israel among the US public continues to decline.
Axios noted this concern, writing that even now, “Passing such a deal will now be more complicated because of growing frustrations with Israel, including within Trump's MAGA base.”
In 2024, Congress and the White House approved an additional emergency military assistance package to fund Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. This has provided an extra $14.1 billion in aid on top of the $3.8 billion annual package from the previous 10-year deal.
In addition to extending the length of the deal, Israeli officials have proposed a change that would allow using some of the money for joint US–Israeli research and development, including to fund defense technology, defense-related AI, and the Golden Dome missile defense project.
The proposal for joint US–Israel projects is intended to “appeal to the Trump administration's ‘America First’ instincts, because it could benefit the US military rather than just being sent to Israel,” Axios reported.
“This is out-of-the-box thinking. We want to change the way we handled past agreements and put more emphasis on US–Israel cooperation. The Americans like this idea,” one Israeli official said.
A growing number of Trump's supporters in the US, represented most prominently by conservative journalist Tucker Carlson, have begun to criticize US support for Israel.
They say Israel's deliberate killing of civilians in Gaza, including women and children, is immoral and based on the false idea that all Palestinians in Gaza are somehow guilty for Hamas's 7 October attack on Israeli military bases and settlements.
They argue that the funds being sent to Israel to kill Palestinian civilians should be used instead to improve life for US citizens at home.
The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) said it adopted a resolution ordering its Independent International Fact-Finding Mission “to conduct an urgent inquiry” into the reported atrocities in the North Darfur city of El-Fasher, captured recently by the RSF.
The council “strongly condemned the escalating violence and reported atrocities committed by the RSF and associated forces in and around El-Fasher, following their assault on the city, including large-scale atrocities such as ethnically motivated killings, torture, summary executions, and widespread use of sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon of warfare.”
It also urged the investigative team to “identify, where possible, all those for whom there were reasonable grounds to believe that they were responsible for alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law and to support efforts to ensure that the perpetrators of alleged abuses were held accountable.”
The decision followed the conclusion of a special session on Friday aimed at addressing the situation in El-Fasher.
“Bloodstains on the ground in El-Fasher have been photographed from space. The stain on the record of the international community is less visible but no less damaging,” said UN human rights chief Volker Turk during the session.
Meanwhile, African Union special envoy and former UN special advisor for genocide prevention Adama Dieng warned that “the risk of genocide exists in Sudan.”
“It is real and it is growing every single day,” he added.
RSF forces pushed into El-Fasher on 26 October after a brutal, 500-day siege. The group’s fighters massacred thousands of civilians who failed to flee before the city fell, with some even filming themselves carrying out the atrocities.
Satellite imagery released by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) showed massive blood stains in areas consistent with RSF movements.
Numerous reports over the past two years have confirmed Emirati military support for the RSF.
This includes UK arms supplied to the UAE and then sent by Abu Dhabi to the RSF, according to two dossiers of documents seen by the UN and cited by The Guardian last month. Abu Dhabi denies the charge.
On 6 November, the RSF announced its acceptance of a humanitarian ceasefire proposal put forward by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the US.
An official from the Sudanese military, which the RSF has been fighting for control of the country, told AP that the army would only agree to a truce that requires the RSF to withdraw from civilian areas and give up weapons.
El-Fasher was the last Sudanese army stronghold in western Sudan.
The central bank said in a statement on 14 November that as part of efforts “to remove Lebanon from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list … the central bank of Lebanon today has taken the first step in a series of precautionary measures aiming to strengthen the compliance environment within the financial sector.”
It added that it was imposing measures “on all non-bank financial institutions licensed by the Central Bank of Lebanon, including money transfer companies, exchange bureaus.”
Starting from 1 December, all non-bank financial institutions must “collect information and data linked to their customers and operations” for any transaction above $1,000 and report it to the central bank.
Institutions must confirm that they have collected the required information before doing any transaction.
The measures fall in line “with international standards on fighting money laundering and terrorist financing, and preventing the misuse of the authorized financial system for suspicious transactions.”
US Treasury official John K. Hurley visited Beirut on Monday with a delegation of Treasury and National Security Council officials. The delegation held talks with Lebanese leaders, including President Joseph Aoun.
“We were very frank with the president, the prime minister, and the other senior officials that there’s a window right now, particularly the window between now and the election,” he said.
Hurley added that Lebanon has made “great progress” in cracking down on illicit cash flows, but that Washington wants more.
Money exchange platforms are “a major part of the problem,” he added.
Washington and Tel Aviv have accused Iran of trying to smuggle funds to Hezbollah via civilian flights. Direct flights between Tehran and Beirut have been stopped since the start of the year, after repeated threats by Israel to bomb Iranian planes scheduled to land at Lebanon’s airport.
The US Treasury claims the Islamic Republic has transferred over $1 billion to Hezbollah since January 2025, “mostly through money exchange companies.”
Last week, Washington imposed sanctions on what it said were Hezbollah operatives “exploiting Lebanon’s cash economy,” in an effort to “support the disarmament” of the resistance group. “Lebanon has an opportunity to be free, prosperous, and secure – but that can only happen if Hezbollah is fully disarmed and cut off from Iran’s funding and control.”
Washington has also imposed sanctions on Hezbollah’s Qard al-Hassan organization, a profit-free and interest-free Islamic banking and loan withdrawal system adopted by the Lebanese resistance.
Its offices were bombed by Israel during its war on Lebanon last year.
In July 2025, the Lebanese central bank banned financial institutions from directly or indirectly engaging with Qard al-Hassan.
Since the start of the year, the Lebanese army has been dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure and confiscating arms south of the Litani River in line with the ceasefire deal reached in November 2024.
Hezbollah has rejected a Lebanese cabinet decision – adopted under heavy US pressure – issued in August, which called for the group’s full disarmament.
The resistance says it would eventually be willing to discuss incorporating its arms into the Lebanese military as part of a defensive strategy that would keep the weapons available for use if Lebanon is attacked.
However, it rejects any discussion of the matter while Israel continues to attack Lebanon and occupy several areas along the southern border.
Tel Aviv claims Hezbollah is rearming and rebuilding its presence faster than the Lebanese army is dismantling, threatening escalation and vowing not to withdraw its forces occupying south Lebanon until the resistance surrenders all its arms.
Washington has publicly backed the Israeli position.
Israel has escalated its daily violations of the ceasefire in recent weeks, killing at least 44 Lebanese people since the start of last month.
Over 300 Lebanese have been killed since the deal went into effect in November last year.
“Today, I'm announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR. Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and SOUTHCOM, this mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people,” Hegseth wrote in a post on X.
“The Western Hemisphere is America's neighborhood – and we will protect it,” he claimed.
The US military's Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) is responsible for projecting Washington's power across South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
The announcement comes amid a major US military build-up in the Caribbean near the Venezuelan coast, including the recent deployment of the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier.
SOUTHCOM issued a statement claiming the operation is part of US President Donald Trump's campaign to “disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland,” which has included airstrikes on boats allegedly transporting drugs from Venezuela to the US.
The US military carried out a new strike on a boat on Monday, killing four people. At least 80 people have died in 20 such strikes in recent months.
Trump has said the airstrikes may expand to become an invasion of Venezuela, warning, “the land is going to be next.”
The US president has provided no evidence to show that the boats are carrying drugs to the US, nor has he provided a legal justification for the strikes, suggesting the campaign is part of a US effort to destabilize oil-rich Venezuela.
International Crisis Group (ICG) senior analyst Elizabeth Dickinson told AP that “there's nothing that an aircraft carrier brings that is useful for combating the drug trade” in the region.
“I think it's clearly a message that is much more geared towards pressuring Caracas,” Dickinson added.
The Guardian noted that Venezuela is not a significant source of cocaine, which is primarily produced in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. It also noted that Venezuela is not part of the fentanyl smuggling network, which moves the deadly drug from China to the US via Mexico.
“Since they cannot say that we have hidden biological or chemical weapons, they invent a bizarre narrative,” said Maduro.
“No more forever wars. No more unjust wars. No more Libya. No more Afghanistan. Long live peace,” Maduro stated in another speech the following day, referencing previous US regime change wars.
Earlier this week, Venezuela's Ministry of Defense mobilized 200,000 troops for exercises meant to prepare for a possible US attack.
“Don't you dare [attack]. We are ready,” warned Venezuela's Foreign Minister, Yvan Gil.
In a note to the UN Security Council (UNSC) members seen by the outlet, Russia’s UN representative said Moscow’s “counter-proposal is inspired by the US draft.”
“The objective of our draft is to enable the Security Council to develop a balanced, acceptable, and unified approach toward achieving a sustainable cessation of hostilities,” the note went on to say.
According to the report, the Russian draft requests that the UN Secretary General identify “options” for the International Stabilization Force (ISF), which is supposed to be deployed to Gaza as part of US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan.
“Attempts to sow discord now – when agreement on this resolution is under active negotiation – has grave, tangible, and entirely avoidable consequences for Palestinians in Gaza. The ceasefire is fragile and we urge the Council to unite and move forward to secure the peace that is desperately needed,” said a US mission spokesperson in response to Russia’s proposal.
The US submitted its draft in early November and is seeking UN backing. While the language of the US resolution has reportedly been updated, much of it remains the same – particularly regarding the ISF.
The US draft includes a broad mandate for Washington to govern Gaza for at least two years. It also mentions that the ISF will be established in coordination with the Gaza ‘Board of Peace,’ which Trump will head.
According to Reuters, the ‘Board of Peace’ idea has been removed entirely from the Russian draft.
It remains unclear how Trump’s plan will be executed. Israel continues to oppose the eventual return of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to Gaza – a central element of the ceasefire initiative.
Private US documents cited by POLITICO on 11 November have revealed that Washington has no “clear path forward” for the plan’s implementation.
US officials cited in the report are “deeply concerned” that the agreement could collapse due to the difficulty of implementing it.
Israel continues to violate the ceasefire agreement with attacks, airstrikes, and the restriction of aid. At least 260 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in Gaza since the deal went into effect last month.
New satellite imagery analyzed by the BBC reveals that Israeli demolitions have destroyed more than 1,500 buildings in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire deal was reached.
“We've prepared a maximum of 20,000 troops, but the specifications will revolve around health and construction,” Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said.
“We are waiting for further decisions on Gaza peace action,” he added. “We're waiting for the possibilities of a role Indonesia can take for peace efforts.”
The US recently began circulating a draft resolution at the UN to authorize the formation of the ISF, as it is called in the Trump plan.
The draft submitted to the UN includes giving the US a broad mandate to govern Gaza for at least two years. It mentions that the ISF will be established in coordination with the Gaza ‘Board of Peace,’ which Trump will head.
However, Israeli media reported that a new draft has been put together by Washington and calls for “a credible path to self-determination and a Palestinian state.”
It adds that the US will “create a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for prosperous coexistence.”
Many of the other aspects of the text remain the same. According to recent reports, Arab states are uncomfortable with the idea of being forced to clash with Hamas to push disarmament.
The force will “stabilize the security environment in Gaza by ensuring the process of demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding of the military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, as well as the permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups,” according to a copy of the latest draft obtained by the Times of Israel.
On Thursday, Russia put forward a resolution to challenge the US draft, Reuters reported.
In its draft, the idea of a US-led ‘Board of Peace’ governing Gaza for two years is not included. However, it is “inspired” by the US draft and aims to “enable the Security Council to develop a balanced, acceptable, and unified approach toward achieving a sustainable cessation of hostilities,” Russia’s UN mission said in a note to Security Council members, seen by Reuters.
“Attempts to sow discord now – when agreement on this resolution is under active negotiation – has grave, tangible, and entirely avoidable consequences for Palestinians in Gaza. The ceasefire is fragile and we urge the Council to unite and move forward to secure the peace that is desperately needed,” said a US mission spokesperson.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism on the matter on 13 November.
“We’re making good progress on the language of the resolution, and hopefully we’ll have action on it very soon. We don’t want to lose momentum on this,” he said.
“It shouldn’t be a fighting force,” Rubio said of the ISF when asked whether it should be a peacekeeping force or a peace enforcement force. According to a copy of the first draft obtained by Axios recently, it must be an “enforcement” force.
The US has held talks with several countries, including Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye. Tel Aviv has opposed the idea of Turkish or Qatari involvement, fearing it would bolster Hamas.
It remains unclear how the Trump plan will be executed. Israel continues to oppose the eventual return of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to Gaza – a central element of the ceasefire initiative.
Private US documents cited by POLITICO on 11 November have revealed that Washington has no “clear path forward” for the plan’s implementation.
US officials cited in the report are “deeply concerned” that the agreement could collapse due to the difficulty of implementing it.
One of the major concerns detailed in the documents is whether the ISF can actually be deployed.
There is a “struggle to get any country in the area to commit forces,” and some countries would “happily write a check but they don’t want to send manpower,” said a participant of a recent symposium for US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the newly formed Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) – established by Washington in Israel, in the city of Kiryat Gat weeks ago.
China condemned the sale and
reiterated that Taiwan is its ‘first red line’ in relations with Washington
Washington has cleared a
$330-million package of aircraft parts and maintenance support for Taiwan on 13
November, marking the first US arms sale since President Donald Trump returned
to office.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the approval and thanked Washington for continuing what it described as a policy of regularized arms sales.
The State Department decision includes equipment, spare parts, and repair services for Taiwan’s fleet of US-made F-16 and C-130 aircraft, as well as components for its domestically produced Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF).
The Pentagon said the proposed sale “will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16, C-130,” and other aircraft.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said the package will help maintain fighter readiness, bolster air defenses, and strengthen the island’s ability to respond to China’s “gray-zone” incursions.
President Lai Ching-te’s government has vowed to ramp up defense spending amid China's continued military pressure around the island.
Taiwan’s presidential office called the deepening security partnership with Washington “an important cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Beijing expressed anger at the sale, repeating its claim that Taiwan is part of its territory.
China’s Foreign Ministry said “the Taiwan question is the core of China’s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China–US relations,” and warned that China will do what is necessary to defend its “sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.”
Taiwan requested the package earlier this year, seeking “non-standard components, spare and repair parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support for F-16, C-130, and Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) aircraft,” according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Trump has said Chinese President Xi Jinping told him he would not invade Taiwan while Trump is in office, a remark made after the two leaders met in South Korea as trade discussions continued.
Reuters reported there had been “fear in Taipei that there could have been some sort of ‘selling out’ of Taiwan’s interests,” which did not materialize as Washington proceeded with the sale.
Taiwan’s push to upgrade its defenses follows President Lai Ching-te’s praise of Israel as a model for the island. On 28 October, Lai said “Israel's determination and capacity to defend its territory provide a valuable model for Taiwan” and invoked the story of David and Goliath in describing China’s pressure.
Taipei City has unveiled plans for a new T-Dome air defense network, which a Reuters-cited source said was inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome and designed to create “a more thorough air defense net with a higher interception rate.” China accused Lai of “seeking independence by force.”
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has echoed this political shift, calling Israel’s backing “unmatched” and highlighting support from 72 Israeli lawmakers for Taiwan’s participation in international bodies. Lin criticized Palestine’s adherence to Beijing’s One-China position and said Taipei City wants human rights and national interest to align in its diplomacy.
Intelligence Online reported that Taiwan’s deputy defense minister secretly visited Israel for T-Dome assistance and that Washington approved the cooperation.
Israel is seeking a longer-term
deal at the expense of US taxpayers, fearing support among conservatives is
fading
Israel is seeking a new security
agreement with the US that would provide Tel Aviv with around $80 billion in
military aid over 20 years – double the length of the previous 10-year
agreement – despite falling support for Israel among the US public.Citing US and Israeli officials, Axios reported on 14 November that negotiations are underway to renew the 2016 agreement that allotted $38 billion ($3.8 billion annually for 10 years) in military aid to Israel.
“Israel is likely to seek at least that much going forward,” on a yearly basis, Axios wrote, but over an even more extended period of time.
Israeli officials are seeking a 20-year deal this time, anticipating that locking in similar agreements may only become more difficult in the future as support for Israel among the US public continues to decline.
Axios noted this concern, writing that even now, “Passing such a deal will now be more complicated because of growing frustrations with Israel, including within Trump's MAGA base.”
In 2024, Congress and the White House approved an additional emergency military assistance package to fund Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. This has provided an extra $14.1 billion in aid on top of the $3.8 billion annual package from the previous 10-year deal.
In addition to extending the length of the deal, Israeli officials have proposed a change that would allow using some of the money for joint US–Israeli research and development, including to fund defense technology, defense-related AI, and the Golden Dome missile defense project.
The proposal for joint US–Israel projects is intended to “appeal to the Trump administration's ‘America First’ instincts, because it could benefit the US military rather than just being sent to Israel,” Axios reported.
“This is out-of-the-box thinking. We want to change the way we handled past agreements and put more emphasis on US–Israel cooperation. The Americans like this idea,” one Israeli official said.
A growing number of Trump's supporters in the US, represented most prominently by conservative journalist Tucker Carlson, have begun to criticize US support for Israel.
They say Israel's deliberate killing of civilians in Gaza, including women and children, is immoral and based on the false idea that all Palestinians in Gaza are somehow guilty for Hamas's 7 October attack on Israeli military bases and settlements.
They argue that the funds being sent to Israel to kill Palestinian civilians should be used instead to improve life for US citizens at home.
The UAE government has, for
years, been backing the RSF, which captured the city of El-Fasher last month
and committed mass killings of civilians
The UN announced on 14 November
that it has ordered the establishment of a fact-finding mission to probe
atrocities carried out by the UAE-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan,
amid warnings about the “growing” risk of genocide in the war-torn country.The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) said it adopted a resolution ordering its Independent International Fact-Finding Mission “to conduct an urgent inquiry” into the reported atrocities in the North Darfur city of El-Fasher, captured recently by the RSF.
The council “strongly condemned the escalating violence and reported atrocities committed by the RSF and associated forces in and around El-Fasher, following their assault on the city, including large-scale atrocities such as ethnically motivated killings, torture, summary executions, and widespread use of sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon of warfare.”
It also urged the investigative team to “identify, where possible, all those for whom there were reasonable grounds to believe that they were responsible for alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law and to support efforts to ensure that the perpetrators of alleged abuses were held accountable.”
The decision followed the conclusion of a special session on Friday aimed at addressing the situation in El-Fasher.
“Bloodstains on the ground in El-Fasher have been photographed from space. The stain on the record of the international community is less visible but no less damaging,” said UN human rights chief Volker Turk during the session.
Meanwhile, African Union special envoy and former UN special advisor for genocide prevention Adama Dieng warned that “the risk of genocide exists in Sudan.”
“It is real and it is growing every single day,” he added.
RSF forces pushed into El-Fasher on 26 October after a brutal, 500-day siege. The group’s fighters massacred thousands of civilians who failed to flee before the city fell, with some even filming themselves carrying out the atrocities.
Satellite imagery released by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) showed massive blood stains in areas consistent with RSF movements.
Numerous reports over the past two years have confirmed Emirati military support for the RSF.
This includes UK arms supplied to the UAE and then sent by Abu Dhabi to the RSF, according to two dossiers of documents seen by the UN and cited by The Guardian last month. Abu Dhabi denies the charge.
On 6 November, the RSF announced its acceptance of a humanitarian ceasefire proposal put forward by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the US.
An official from the Sudanese military, which the RSF has been fighting for control of the country, told AP that the army would only agree to a truce that requires the RSF to withdraw from civilian areas and give up weapons.
El-Fasher was the last Sudanese army stronghold in western Sudan.
The US Treasury claims Iran has
funneled over $1 billion to Hezbollah since the start of the year
The Central Bank of Lebanon has
announced that it will impose stricter regulations on money transfer companies,
just days after a US official visited Beirut and called on authorities to crack
down on funding for Hezbollah.The central bank said in a statement on 14 November that as part of efforts “to remove Lebanon from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list … the central bank of Lebanon today has taken the first step in a series of precautionary measures aiming to strengthen the compliance environment within the financial sector.”
It added that it was imposing measures “on all non-bank financial institutions licensed by the Central Bank of Lebanon, including money transfer companies, exchange bureaus.”
Starting from 1 December, all non-bank financial institutions must “collect information and data linked to their customers and operations” for any transaction above $1,000 and report it to the central bank.
Institutions must confirm that they have collected the required information before doing any transaction.
The measures fall in line “with international standards on fighting money laundering and terrorist financing, and preventing the misuse of the authorized financial system for suspicious transactions.”
US Treasury official John K. Hurley visited Beirut on Monday with a delegation of Treasury and National Security Council officials. The delegation held talks with Lebanese leaders, including President Joseph Aoun.
“We were very frank with the president, the prime minister, and the other senior officials that there’s a window right now, particularly the window between now and the election,” he said.
Hurley added that Lebanon has made “great progress” in cracking down on illicit cash flows, but that Washington wants more.
Money exchange platforms are “a major part of the problem,” he added.
Washington and Tel Aviv have accused Iran of trying to smuggle funds to Hezbollah via civilian flights. Direct flights between Tehran and Beirut have been stopped since the start of the year, after repeated threats by Israel to bomb Iranian planes scheduled to land at Lebanon’s airport.
The US Treasury claims the Islamic Republic has transferred over $1 billion to Hezbollah since January 2025, “mostly through money exchange companies.”
Last week, Washington imposed sanctions on what it said were Hezbollah operatives “exploiting Lebanon’s cash economy,” in an effort to “support the disarmament” of the resistance group. “Lebanon has an opportunity to be free, prosperous, and secure – but that can only happen if Hezbollah is fully disarmed and cut off from Iran’s funding and control.”
Washington has also imposed sanctions on Hezbollah’s Qard al-Hassan organization, a profit-free and interest-free Islamic banking and loan withdrawal system adopted by the Lebanese resistance.
Its offices were bombed by Israel during its war on Lebanon last year.
In July 2025, the Lebanese central bank banned financial institutions from directly or indirectly engaging with Qard al-Hassan.
Since the start of the year, the Lebanese army has been dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure and confiscating arms south of the Litani River in line with the ceasefire deal reached in November 2024.
Hezbollah has rejected a Lebanese cabinet decision – adopted under heavy US pressure – issued in August, which called for the group’s full disarmament.
The resistance says it would eventually be willing to discuss incorporating its arms into the Lebanese military as part of a defensive strategy that would keep the weapons available for use if Lebanon is attacked.
However, it rejects any discussion of the matter while Israel continues to attack Lebanon and occupy several areas along the southern border.
Tel Aviv claims Hezbollah is rearming and rebuilding its presence faster than the Lebanese army is dismantling, threatening escalation and vowing not to withdraw its forces occupying south Lebanon until the resistance surrenders all its arms.
Washington has publicly backed the Israeli position.
Israel has escalated its daily violations of the ceasefire in recent weeks, killing at least 44 Lebanese people since the start of last month.
Over 300 Lebanese have been killed since the deal went into effect in November last year.
President Trump has stated that a
land invasion of Venezuela may be next
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth
announced on 14 November the launch of a US military operation in Latin
America, claiming to target “narco-terrorists” as part of its broader campaign
to destabilize Venezuela.“Today, I'm announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR. Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and SOUTHCOM, this mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people,” Hegseth wrote in a post on X.
“The Western Hemisphere is America's neighborhood – and we will protect it,” he claimed.
The US military's Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) is responsible for projecting Washington's power across South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
The announcement comes amid a major US military build-up in the Caribbean near the Venezuelan coast, including the recent deployment of the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier.
SOUTHCOM issued a statement claiming the operation is part of US President Donald Trump's campaign to “disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland,” which has included airstrikes on boats allegedly transporting drugs from Venezuela to the US.
The US military carried out a new strike on a boat on Monday, killing four people. At least 80 people have died in 20 such strikes in recent months.
Trump has said the airstrikes may expand to become an invasion of Venezuela, warning, “the land is going to be next.”
The US president has provided no evidence to show that the boats are carrying drugs to the US, nor has he provided a legal justification for the strikes, suggesting the campaign is part of a US effort to destabilize oil-rich Venezuela.
International Crisis Group (ICG) senior analyst Elizabeth Dickinson told AP that “there's nothing that an aircraft carrier brings that is useful for combating the drug trade” in the region.
“I think it's clearly a message that is much more geared towards pressuring Caracas,” Dickinson added.
The Guardian noted that Venezuela is not a significant source of cocaine, which is primarily produced in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. It also noted that Venezuela is not part of the fentanyl smuggling network, which moves the deadly drug from China to the US via Mexico.
“Since they cannot say that we have hidden biological or chemical weapons, they invent a bizarre narrative,” said Maduro.
“No more forever wars. No more unjust wars. No more Libya. No more Afghanistan. Long live peace,” Maduro stated in another speech the following day, referencing previous US regime change wars.
Earlier this week, Venezuela's Ministry of Defense mobilized 200,000 troops for exercises meant to prepare for a possible US attack.
“Don't you dare [attack]. We are ready,” warned Venezuela's Foreign Minister, Yvan Gil.
The US mission at the UN has
accused Russia of ‘attempts to sow discord’ by putting forward its own draft
Russia has proposed its own draft
resolution on the Gaza Strip to counter a US proposal submitted to the UN
earlier this month, Reuters reported on 13 November.In a note to the UN Security Council (UNSC) members seen by the outlet, Russia’s UN representative said Moscow’s “counter-proposal is inspired by the US draft.”
“The objective of our draft is to enable the Security Council to develop a balanced, acceptable, and unified approach toward achieving a sustainable cessation of hostilities,” the note went on to say.
According to the report, the Russian draft requests that the UN Secretary General identify “options” for the International Stabilization Force (ISF), which is supposed to be deployed to Gaza as part of US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan.
“Attempts to sow discord now – when agreement on this resolution is under active negotiation – has grave, tangible, and entirely avoidable consequences for Palestinians in Gaza. The ceasefire is fragile and we urge the Council to unite and move forward to secure the peace that is desperately needed,” said a US mission spokesperson in response to Russia’s proposal.
The US submitted its draft in early November and is seeking UN backing. While the language of the US resolution has reportedly been updated, much of it remains the same – particularly regarding the ISF.
The US draft includes a broad mandate for Washington to govern Gaza for at least two years. It also mentions that the ISF will be established in coordination with the Gaza ‘Board of Peace,’ which Trump will head.
According to Reuters, the ‘Board of Peace’ idea has been removed entirely from the Russian draft.
It remains unclear how Trump’s plan will be executed. Israel continues to oppose the eventual return of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to Gaza – a central element of the ceasefire initiative.
Private US documents cited by POLITICO on 11 November have revealed that Washington has no “clear path forward” for the plan’s implementation.
US officials cited in the report are “deeply concerned” that the agreement could collapse due to the difficulty of implementing it.
Israel continues to violate the ceasefire agreement with attacks, airstrikes, and the restriction of aid. At least 260 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in Gaza since the deal went into effect last month.
New satellite imagery analyzed by the BBC reveals that Israeli demolitions have destroyed more than 1,500 buildings in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire deal was reached.
Internal US documents recently
highlighted major concerns in Washington over the feasibility of the plan to
deploy international troops to Gaza
Indonesia announced on 14
November that it has trained up to 20,000 troops for the International Security
Force (ISF) envisioned in US President Donald Trump’s ‘peace plan’ for the Gaza
Strip.“We've prepared a maximum of 20,000 troops, but the specifications will revolve around health and construction,” Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said.
“We are waiting for further decisions on Gaza peace action,” he added. “We're waiting for the possibilities of a role Indonesia can take for peace efforts.”
The US recently began circulating a draft resolution at the UN to authorize the formation of the ISF, as it is called in the Trump plan.
The draft submitted to the UN includes giving the US a broad mandate to govern Gaza for at least two years. It mentions that the ISF will be established in coordination with the Gaza ‘Board of Peace,’ which Trump will head.
However, Israeli media reported that a new draft has been put together by Washington and calls for “a credible path to self-determination and a Palestinian state.”
It adds that the US will “create a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for prosperous coexistence.”
Many of the other aspects of the text remain the same. According to recent reports, Arab states are uncomfortable with the idea of being forced to clash with Hamas to push disarmament.
The force will “stabilize the security environment in Gaza by ensuring the process of demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding of the military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, as well as the permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups,” according to a copy of the latest draft obtained by the Times of Israel.
On Thursday, Russia put forward a resolution to challenge the US draft, Reuters reported.
In its draft, the idea of a US-led ‘Board of Peace’ governing Gaza for two years is not included. However, it is “inspired” by the US draft and aims to “enable the Security Council to develop a balanced, acceptable, and unified approach toward achieving a sustainable cessation of hostilities,” Russia’s UN mission said in a note to Security Council members, seen by Reuters.
“Attempts to sow discord now – when agreement on this resolution is under active negotiation – has grave, tangible, and entirely avoidable consequences for Palestinians in Gaza. The ceasefire is fragile and we urge the Council to unite and move forward to secure the peace that is desperately needed,” said a US mission spokesperson.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism on the matter on 13 November.
“We’re making good progress on the language of the resolution, and hopefully we’ll have action on it very soon. We don’t want to lose momentum on this,” he said.
“It shouldn’t be a fighting force,” Rubio said of the ISF when asked whether it should be a peacekeeping force or a peace enforcement force. According to a copy of the first draft obtained by Axios recently, it must be an “enforcement” force.
The US has held talks with several countries, including Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye. Tel Aviv has opposed the idea of Turkish or Qatari involvement, fearing it would bolster Hamas.
It remains unclear how the Trump plan will be executed. Israel continues to oppose the eventual return of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to Gaza – a central element of the ceasefire initiative.
Private US documents cited by POLITICO on 11 November have revealed that Washington has no “clear path forward” for the plan’s implementation.
US officials cited in the report are “deeply concerned” that the agreement could collapse due to the difficulty of implementing it.
One of the major concerns detailed in the documents is whether the ISF can actually be deployed.
There is a “struggle to get any country in the area to commit forces,” and some countries would “happily write a check but they don’t want to send manpower,” said a participant of a recent symposium for US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the newly formed Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) – established by Washington in Israel, in the city of Kiryat Gat weeks ago.
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