Lebanon

Naïm Qassem: \
Naïm Qassem: "We Are Victorious!" — Or Back to Square One

In his first speech following the implementation of the ceasefire with Israel, Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Naïm Qassem, framed his remarks around the theme of a "divine victory, far surpassing that of 2006." However, he defined this "victory" in negative terms, stating: "We are victorious because we have prevented Israel from eliminating the ...

Ceasefire Day 3: Israeli Army Carries Out Air Strike Against Hezbollah
Ceasefire Day 3: Israeli Army Carries Out Air Strike Against Hezbollah

The Israeli army announced on Friday that it had conducted an airstrike against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, just two days after the ceasefire with the armed group came into effect. “A short time ago, terrorist activity and the movement of a mobile rocket launcher were detected in southern Lebanon,” the Israeli army said in a statement, ...

The Reconstruction of War-Torn Areas in Lebanon: A Complex and Uncertain Equation
ExplainerThe Reconstruction of War-Torn Areas in Lebanon: A Complex and Uncertain Equation

The end of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel raises a critical question for the Lebanese: who will bear the financial responsibility for rebuilding the villages and cities devastated by the conflict? In a country already mired in an unprecedented economic and political crisis, options are both limited and complex. Several actors could ...

Joseph Aoun Meets with Head of Quint Supervisory Committee
Joseph Aoun Meets with Head of Quint Supervisory Committee

The Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Army, General Joseph Aoun, met on Friday at his office in Yarze with Major General Jasper Jeffers, the Head of the Quint Supervisory Committee. They discussed the overall situation and coordination mechanisms among the concerned parties in southern Lebanon. The committee is tasked with overseeing the ...

Geagea: 'Hezb Committed a Great Crime Against the Lebanese'
Geagea: 'Hezb Committed a Great Crime Against the Lebanese'

Head of the Lebanese Forces Party Samir Geagea accused Hezbollah of committing “a great crime” against the Lebanese, affirming that “the unity of squares theory is meaningless and doesn’t exist on the ground.” After an extraordinary meeting in Maarab on Friday, he confirmed that “Hezbollah drove Lebanon to war when the majority of the ...

EU: We Will Support LAF, UNIFIL and the Lebanese
EU: We Will Support LAF, UNIFIL and the Lebanese

The European Union reaffirmed its commitment to mobilizing a wide range of tools to support the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), so that UN Security Council Resolution 1701 can be “effectively and fully implemented on the ground.” The EU viewed the ceasefire agreement as “a major achievement, which the ...

Joumblatt: Justifications for Self-Security Are No Longer Valid
Joumblatt: Justifications for Self-Security Are No Longer Valid

The former head of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), Walid Joumblatt, praised the important role played by the Lebanese army, intelligence and security services during the war, which helped deconstruct the “absurd and dangerous theories relating to self-security.” Turning to the issue of disputed land between Lebanon and Israel, ...

French Envoy, Le Drian, Urges Lebanon to Elect President
French Envoy, Le Drian, Urges Lebanon to Elect President

France's special envoy on Friday said it was urgent for Lebanon to elect a president, after a parliamentary vote to end a two-year period without a head of state was announced for January. Jean-Yves Le Drian's visit to Lebanon follows a fragile ceasefire to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah. "I came to Lebanon immediately after the ...

The Legalization of Surrender
Op-edThe Legalization of Surrender

We have become accustomed to victory cries, as victory is ultimately a matter of perspective. Yet, the jubilant cheers in the streets, whether amidst destruction or not, fail to capture the true geopolitical landscape. Hezbollah has, in effect, signed a total surrender agreement, irrespective of its public or private statements. By agreeing to ...

Return of Displaced Persons and Reconstruction Prospects: Lingering Uncertainty
Return of Displaced Persons and Reconstruction Prospects: Lingering Uncertainty

“This return is nothing like 2006.” This phrase echoes across regions where residents are cautiously returning to their homes on the second day of the ceasefire. After 14 months of conflict, marked by two months of brutal escalation, the displaced face their return with uncertainty and unease. The scale of destruction is far greater than in ...