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Inside the Christian border town in Lebanon that says it survived by defying Hezbollah
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The church bells still ring in Rmeish on the Lebanon-Israel border.
While much of southern Lebanon has suffered destruction during the war between Israel and the terror group Hezbollah, the predominantly Christian border town close to Israel remained largely untouched. Churches are still standing. Homes remain intact. Residents say the village avoided Israeli strikes because locals refused to allow Hezbollah fighters to operate from inside the town.
«There was more than one attempt for them to come to the outskirts or the entrance of the village to launch rockets from there,» one resident told Jusoor News. «The young men of Rmeish confronted them and prevented them from entering.»
«That led to the protection of Rmeish from any Israeli attacks,» the resident said. «The Israelis do not target aimlessly. They target launch sites.»
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Churches in the southern Lebanese town of Rmeish remained standing throughout the conflict, as residents say the community resisted Hezbollah attempts to launch rockets from the area. (Jusoor News)
The account offers a rare public glimpse into open resistance to Hezbollah inside southern Lebanon, where criticism of the Iranian-backed terrorist group is often met with accusations of treason or collaboration with Israel.
Tarek, a Christian social activist from Rmeish who spoke by phone with Fox News Digital, said residents of the town have long-faced pressure because they refused to align with Hezbollah.
«After 2000, when Israel left, we were always labeled as collaborators of Israel,» Tarek said. «We suffered a lot from this stigma.»
He said Hezbollah supporters accused the town of cooperating with Israel simply because it escaped the destruction seen in neighboring villages.
The interviews come as the Trump administration brokers talks between Israel and Lebanon aimed at stabilizing the border and addressing Hezbollah’s military presence in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem recently rejected any discussion about disarming the group, while U.S. officials continue pushing to strengthen the Lebanese state over the armed terror group.
Hezbollah worked to build facilities below private residential buildings and houses in southern Lebanon. (Benoît Durand / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images)
Tarek argued Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanon cannot be separated from Iran.
«The Lebanese government has been ruled by Hezbollah for almost 36 years,» he told Fox News Digital. «They are deeply entrenched in all arms of the government, security, army and institutions.»
«If the president or prime minister says they want peace, Hezbollah will resist that,» he added.
Tarek said weakening Iran is the key to weakening Hezbollah.
IRAN COULD ‘ACTIVATE’ HEZBOLLAH IF US TARGETS REGIME, TRUMP’S INNER CIRCLE TO DECIDE: EXPERT
Residents of the Christian border town of Rmeish in southern Lebanon say the village remained largely untouched during the war after locals prevented Hezbollah fighters from operating inside the town. (Jusoor News)
«It’s about cutting the head of the octopus, which is the Iranian regime,» he said. «Once you cut the head, Hezbollah will no longer function.»
Another resident said many in the town increasingly believe «Hezbollah’s project is an Iranian project, not a Lebanese one.»
Another woman from the village described living surrounded by war while trying to keep the town outside the fighting.
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A landscape view of Rmeish, a predominantly Christian town near the Israel-Lebanon border whose residents say they worked to keep Hezbollah fighters out of the village during the war. (Jusoor News)
«We are in the middle, and the war surrounds us from all sides,» she said. «This makes us live in a state of fear, anxiety, insecurity and instability.»
A man from the village said residents had endured decades of wars that they have nothing to do with.
«We decided to remain steadfast,» he said. «Where would we go?»
An older resident said his family has suffered from violence along the border since the 1970s.
«We are tired of wars,» he said. «We want nothing but peace.»
Despite accusations from Hezbollah supporters, residents insisted they do not regret standing up to the terrorist group.
«All accusations of treason are rejected,» one resident said. «The people of Rmeish want to live safely on their land.»
Another resident added: «Just because I don’t believe in your project doesn’t mean I’m a traitor.»
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A view of the southern Lebanese border town of Rmeish near Israel. (Jusoor News)
Ahed Al Hendi, a senior fellow at the Center for Peace Communications, told Fox News Digital that, «The defiance shown by Christians in southern Lebanon reflects a major shift in the country’s internal dynamics. For more than two decades, many Christians living near the border suffered under Hezbollah’s dominance, yet were stigmatized and often afraid to speak openly against it.»
«Today,» Al Hendi added, «with the changing balance of power, they are increasingly confronting Hezbollah publicly and speaking out against what they see as its tyranny.»
lebanon, wars, terrorism, iran, israel
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Tres hermanos se entregan a las autoridades dominicanas por el homicidio de un repartidor en Santiago
Tres hermanos, entre ellos un adolescente, se entregaron de manera voluntaria a las autoridades dominicanas tras una intensa persecución e investigación policial, por su presunta implicación en el homicidio de un repartidor durante una riña ocurrida en el sector Hato Mayor, en Santiago. Los detenidos, Eudis Martínez Henríquez, alias “El Pana”, de veintiún años; Anneudy Rafael Cabrera Henríquez, alias “Cocote”, de diecinueve años; y un menor de dieciséis años, eran activamente buscados desde el fin de semana, cuando se registró el incidente en un local de comida donde trabajaba la víctima, identificada como Joel Rivera Heredia, conocido como “King”, de veinticuatro años.
De acuerdo con el reporte policial, el conflicto que desencadenó el homicidio se originó por una disputa social. Durante la riña, Rivera Heredia recibió varias heridas provocadas con un arma cortopunzante, lesiones que derivaron en su muerte según el diagnóstico del médico legista.
La Policía Nacional informó que los tres imputados decidieron presentarse en la Subdirección Regional de Investigación (DICRIM) en compañía de familiares, tras la presión ejercida por la operatividad policial y la cercanía de los agentes en su búsqueda. Los detenidos quedaron a disposición del Ministerio Público para los procedimientos legales correspondientes, mientras que las investigaciones continúan para determinar posibles implicaciones de otros involucrados en el caso.
El vocero de la Policía Nacional, Diego Pesqueira, informó sobre el caso en sus redes sociales y destacó que la entrega de los hermanos se produjo gracias al despliegue de búsqueda y acciones investigativas que incluyeron la difusión de fotografías y la coordinación con las comunidades locales.
La institución reiteró que mantiene la vigilancia en Santiago y otras provincias con el objetivo de reducir los niveles de violencia y esclarecer hechos delictivos recientes.
En un caso paralelo, que reafirma la tendencia de entregas y capturas tras operativos policiales, la Policía Nacional detuvo a Deilin Medina, alias “Robín”, de treinta y cuatro años, quien admitió su participación en al menos tres robos cometidos en diferentes puntos del Distrito Nacional. La captura de Medina, residente en el sector El Caliche, Los Pinos, se concretó luego de labores de inteligencia de la División de Investigación de Delitos Contra la Propiedad, con asiento en María Auxiliadora. El sospechoso fue localizado durante un operativo de búsqueda e intentó escapar junto a otros individuos, pero fue capturado de inmediato por los agentes.
Durante el proceso investigativo, Medina confesó su vinculación con el robo de una guagua marca Fiat Fiorin, de la que sustrajo una cámara de video, extensiones eléctricas y un canasto, para posteriormente venderlos a un transeúnte. Además, admitió haber participado en el robo de una vivienda en el sector 27 de Febrero, donde se llevó RD$10.000 (USD 170) en efectivo y un televisor. El tercer caso confirmado corresponde al hurto de redes eléctricas de un local comercial en Villa María. La Policía Nacional destacó que estos hechos generaron preocupación en las comunidades afectadas, por su impacto económico y el incremento del sentimiento de inseguridad en el Distrito Nacional.
El detenido fue puesto a disposición del Ministerio Público, conforme a los procedimientos legales establecidos y en cumplimiento del Código Penal de República Dominicana, que prevé penas de prisión severas para quienes incurren en robo con violencia o reincidencia. Según la institución, la rápida intervención permitió esclarecer los hechos y recuperar parte de los bienes sustraídos, mientras que las investigaciones continúan para identificar a posibles colaboradores y esclarecer otros delitos similares reportados a comienzos de 2026.
Ambos casos reflejan la presión sostenida de las autoridades para combatir los delitos violentos y contra la propiedad, así como la importancia de la colaboración ciudadana y la labor de inteligencia policial en la prevención y resolución de crímenes recientes en República Dominicana.
esposas,justicia,policía,arresto,seguridad,ley
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Arkansas takes home top ranking for religious freedom after Gov Sanders expands key protections
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FIRST ON FOX: Arkansas has been ranked the nation’s top state for religious liberty after Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a series of laws expanding faith protections that helped lift the state to the top.
Earning a score of 89.2%, Arkansas became one of only two states to earn the First Liberty Institute’s annual Religious Liberty in the States index’s first-ever «excellent» rating. The index evaluates states using 50 legal protections across 20 religious liberty safeguards spanning education, healthcare, family law, economic activity and other areas of daily life.
«Religious liberty is America’s First Freedom, and Arkansas is leading the nation in protecting it,» Sanders said.
«Our rights come from God, not government, and every American should be free to live according to their faith and conscience. We’ll continue defending that freedom and ensuring the Natural State remains the best place in the country to live, work and worship.»
AMERICA’S NEXT 250 YEARS DEPEND ON PASSING FAITH AND FREEDOM TO OUR CHILDREN
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders participates in the first-ever National Outdoor Recreation Executive Forum hosted by Outdoor Recreation Roundtable at Decatur House on May 7, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Outdoor Recreation Roundtable)
The Natural State climbed six spots from last year’s rankings after lawmakers approved several measures expanding legal protections for religious exercise and conscience rights.
Arkansas’ rise was driven largely by Act 677, legislation Sanders signed last year that bars state and local governments from penalizing people, businesses and religious organizations for acting according to their religious beliefs regarding marriage and biological sex.
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A group of people hold hands in prayer. Arkansas topped a new religious liberty index after expanding faith and conscience protections. (iStock)
The state’s religious liberty push also included the Conscience Protection Act, signed by Sanders in 2023, which expanded Arkansas’ Religious Freedom Restoration Act by prohibiting state government discrimination against religious organizations based on their religious identity or status.
Kelly Shackelford, president, CEO and chief counsel at First Liberty, said other states should follow Arkansas’ lead and «strengthen religious liberty protections in their own states.»
«Religious liberty is best protected when leaders are willing to act before the rights of people of faith are threatened,» Shackelford said.
GOV SANDERS REVEALS ‘MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH’ ON EDUCATION AS RED STATE POSITIONS ITSELF AS ‘BLUEPRINT’ FOR NATION
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaking at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 17, 2024. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Dr. Mark David Hall, director of the Religious Liberty in the States project, said Arkansas demonstrates how states can protect what America’s founders called «the sacred right of conscience,» allowing people to practice their faith not just at church, but in their everyday lives.
«States have always served as laboratories of liberty, and this year’s results show why that matters,» Hall said.
Sanders also publicly defended religious freedom in December. She rejected demands from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), a group that advocates for the separation of church and state, to reverse her proclamation closing state offices for Christmas.
In a response letter previously obtained by Fox News Digital, Sanders pushed back on claims it was unconstitutional, saying «only by voicing our own faith and celebrating other faiths can we make our state’s diverse religious communities feel seen and heard.»
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«With this index, citizens and legislators can see where their state is doing well, where it still has room to improve, and which existing laws could help better protect the right of conscience,» Dr. Paul D. Mueller, associate director of the Religious Liberty in the States project, said.
faith values, sarah sanders, politics, first amendment religion us, arkansas
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