For today, links to three reports: from Reuters, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (WEST BANK, IRAN, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.  LEBANON 2-16-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israel kills Hamas official in southern Lebanon. From Reuters. BEIRUT — The Israeli military today killed a Hamas leader in southern Lebanon’s Sidon area, it said in a statement that described Muhammad Shaheen as the head of the Hamas operations department in Lebanon and . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israeli official says forces will remain in 5 locations in Lebanon after Tuesday’s pullout deadline, by Melanie Lidman and Sally Abou Aljoud | AP  JERUSALEM — Israeli forces will remain in five strategic locations in southern Lebanon near the border after Tuesday’s deadline for their full withdrawal, an Israeli official said today. READ MORE . . . 

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Middle East, meets with Israel’s Netanyahu. Reported by Aya Batrawy and A Martínez | NPR  Marco Rubio is in the Middle East for his first visit to the region as secretary of state. His first stop was Israel. Click HERE to listen and,, later, read.