Namibia Minute.
Friday, 24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
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Person

Benjamin Netanyahu

Also known as: Netanyahu · Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu · Israeli prime minister · Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu · Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Prime Minister of Israel, central figure in regional escalation with Iran and Lebanon as of April 2026.

World & Region

Trump announces Israel-Lebanon leader talks, denied by Lebanese source

The News

US President Donald Trump said Israel and Lebanon leaders were set to speak, but a Lebanese official told AFP the country had not been informed of any planned contact with Israel, and Netanyahu's office made no comment. The announcement follows the first direct diplomatic talks between the two countries since 1993, when their ambassadors met in Washington amid escalating conflict in Lebanon since Hezbollah's March attack on Israel.

17 April 2026 · New Era

Friday 17 April

  1. Trump announces Israel-Lebanon leader talks, denied by Lebanese source

    US President Donald Trump said Israel and Lebanon leaders were set to speak, but a Lebanese official told AFP the country had not been informed of any planned contact with Israel, and Netanyahu's office made no comment. The announcement follows the first direct diplomatic talks between the two countries since 1993, when their ambassadors met in Washington amid escalating conflict in Lebanon since Hezbollah's March attack on Israel.

    17 April 2026 · New Era

Friday 10 April

  1. International calls grow for ceasefire extension to Lebanon

    Calls are mounting for a US-Iran ceasefire to extend to Israel's conflict with Hezbollah after Israeli strikes killed over 200 people in Lebanon, though Israel and the US say Lebanon was not part of the truce, while Iran signals the talks may collapse.

    10 April 2026 · New Era

Sunday 5 April

  1. US ambassador allegedly coordinating political pressure on South Africa

    According to The Namibian, US ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III has publicly demanded that South Africa withdraw from its genocide case against Israel, abandon broad-based black economic empowerment, and repeal the Expropriation Act. The article alleges that Bozell is coordinating with AfriForum, a civil rights group, and South African politicians Gayton McKenzie and Mmusi Maimane to apply pressure on the ANC government through legal, political, and diplomatic channels.

    5 April 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 1 April

  1. US-Israeli strikes damage Iranian pharmaceutical company, cultural sites

    US and Israeli military strikes damaged one of Iran's largest pharmaceutical companies producing cancer and anaesthetic drugs, as well as military and civilian infrastructure in Isfahan province, including UNESCO-listed heritage sites. The Iranian government said the pharmaceutical company's drug production line was damaged, while Israeli officials said they are prepared for weeks more fighting in the conflict that began in late February.

    1 April 2026 · New Era

Tuesday 31 March

  1. Israel approves death penalty law for Palestinians convicted of terror attacks

    Israel's parliament passed legislation making the death penalty the default sentence for Palestinians convicted of deadly terror attacks, with execution by hanging within 90 days. The law has drawn criticism from international observers and civil rights groups who say it is discriminatory and undermines democratic principles.

    31 March 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 23 March

  1. Iran threatens Middle East infrastructure after Trump ultimatum

    Iran has threatened to attack US energy and infrastructure across the Middle East if President Trump follows through on his vow to "obliterate" Iranian power plants, amid escalating missile strikes between Iran and Israel over the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear facilities.

    23 March 2026 · New Era

Monday 16 March

  1. Trump refuses Iran deal; US-Israel war continues escalating

    Donald Trump told NBC News he is not ready to seek a deal to end the war with Iran, saying terms are not good enough, while US-Israeli forces continue strikes and Iran's new supreme leader vows to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed. Israel has approved an emergency military budget of $827 million as the conflict enters its third week, with neither side moderating rhetoric despite mounting death toll and economic damage.

    16 March 2026 · New Era

Wednesday 4 March

  1. Drones strike US embassy in Saudi Arabia amid Middle East escalation

    Iran attacked US and Israeli targets across the Middle East, including hitting the US embassy in Riyadh with drones that breached air defences, as regional tensions escalated following earlier strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader. The US warned citizens to evacuate the entire Middle East region, with conflicts expanding to Lebanon and threatening oil infrastructure in the Gulf.

    4 March 2026 · New Era

Wednesday 11 February

  1. Iran warns Israel threatens diplomacy ahead of Netanyahu visit

    Iran's foreign ministry spokesman cautioned that Israel's "destructive influence" undermines regional diplomacy as Iranian and US negotiators resume talks in Muscat over the nuclear file and sanctions relief, ahead of Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to Washington. The warning follows a conflict last June in which Israel bombed Iranian military and nuclear sites, prompting Iranian responses and subsequent US strikes.

    11 February 2026 · New Era

Tuesday 27 January

  1. Israel agrees to reopen Rafah crossing for pedestrians only

    Israel said it would allow only pedestrian passage through the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt following the recovery of the last hostage remains, as part of a limited reopening under a truce framework announced by US President Donald Trump. The crossing has remained closed since Israeli forces took control during the war and is vital for humanitarian aid into Gaza.

    27 January 2026 · New Era

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