Lebanon

Hezbollah Resumes Attacks After Short Lull, Report Says
Hezbollah Resumes Attacks After Short Lull, Report Says

After a brief lull in fire following the April 8 ceasefire with Iran, Hezbollah has resumed attacks on Israeli territory, according to an assessment by the Alma Research and Education Center. According to the report, a total of 1,310 Hezbollah attack waves targeting Israel have been recorded since March 2, with an average of around 30 attacks per ...

Lebanese FM: Direct Talks With Israel Reinforce Separation From Iran Track
Lebanese FM: Direct Talks With Israel Reinforce Separation From Iran Track

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said that Beirut is pursuing direct negotiations with Israel aimed at reaching a ceasefire, while stressing what he described as a growing separation between Lebanon’s diplomatic track and Iranian influence in the region. In a post on X following a call with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, ...

Israeli Foreign Minister Calls for “Severing Iran’s Influence” Over Lebanon Ahead of Talks
Israeli Foreign Minister Calls for “Severing Iran’s Influence” Over Lebanon Ahead of Talks

Israel’s Foreign Minister said on Monday that Iran must be cut off from Lebanon, arguing that Tehran exerts effective control over the country through Hezbollah, ahead of anticipated diplomatic discussions between Israel and Lebanon set to begin in the coming days. In a statement, the Israeli minister said the upcoming talks “are ...

Proxy, Not Priority: Iran Leaves Hezbollah on the Sidelines
AnalysisProxy, Not Priority: Iran Leaves Hezbollah on the Sidelines

As Iran and the U.S. begin negotiations in Islamabad while Israel continues its military campaign in Lebanon, analysts say Tehran is prioritizing its own interests over those of its proxy, Hezbollah. “Iran has its priorities as a state,” political analyst Ali al-Amine told This is Beirut. “Today, its main interest is to avoid a ...

Iran Sacrifices Lebanon on the Altar of Its Own Interests
Op-edIran Sacrifices Lebanon on the Altar of Its Own Interests

The U.S. and Israel have entered a two-week ceasefire, an arrangement that paves the way for negotiations aimed at resolving a wide range of complex and contentious issues. Yet Lebanon, despite Iran’s rhetoric, appears to remain a marginal concern in the talks for Tehran, which has shown little care for the suffering of Lebanese Shia. Despite ...

Amal Boycotts Hezbollah-Backed Protests Amid Rising Tensions in Lebanon
Amal Boycotts Hezbollah-Backed Protests Amid Rising Tensions in Lebanon

Following a wave of protests by supporters of Hezbollah throughout the week, culminating on Saturday, the Amal Movement announced it would not participate in the demonstrations and urged its supporters to boycott them. In a statement, Amal warned that insults directed at state leadership risk fueling internal unrest, stressing that political ...

Lebanon Says Israel Talks Set for Tuesday in U.S.
Lebanon Says Israel Talks Set for Tuesday in U.S.

Lebanon's presidency said Friday that a meeting would be held with Israel in Washington next week to discuss a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war and the start of negotiations between the neighbours. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has repeatedly expressed readiness for direct talks with Israel since Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle ...

Senior U.S. Official to TIB: “Serious Consequences” if Lebanon Fails to Disarm Hezbollah
Senior U.S. Official to TIB: “Serious Consequences” if Lebanon Fails to Disarm Hezbollah

A senior U.S. official told This is Beirut that Washington has urged Israel to move toward a diplomatic track with Lebanon, adding that Israel has agreed and discussions could be convened as early as next week. The official said the United States expects the Lebanese government to take concrete steps to address and ultimately disarm Hezbollah, ...

Beirut Weapons Ban: Too Late to Restore State Control?
AnalysisBeirut Weapons Ban: Too Late to Restore State Control?

Lebanon’s government on Thursday instructed security forces to restrict weapons in Beirut exclusively to state institutions. The move came one day after Israel launched its most intense and coordinated wave of airstrikes on Lebanon since the start of the war, hitting more than 100 targets across the country. "The army and security forces are ...

Hezbollah’s War Role Challenged as Ministers Cite Legal, Constitutional Violations
Hezbollah’s War Role Challenged as Ministers Cite Legal, Constitutional Violations

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, along with Ministers Joseph Saddy, Joe Issa El Khoury, and Kamal Shehadeh submitted a legal memorandum to the Council of Ministers of Lebanon, signed on Wednesday ahead of the Cabinet meeting, calling for immediate action to restore state authority and hold accountable those responsible for involving the ...

Hezbollah’s Grip on Displacement Centers Threatens Civilians and Aid
AnalysisHezbollah’s Grip on Displacement Centers Threatens Civilians and Aid

More than a million Lebanese have been displaced since Hezbollah plunged Lebanon into war with Israel, with many now seeking refuge in communal shelters draped in Iranian flags and guarded by the militant group’s fighters. Hamed Abou Zahr, head of the Aamalouna displacement center in Sidon, warned that other shelters were “openly ...