Lebanon

The Illusion of October 17
EditorialThe Illusion of October 17

In October 2019, Lebanon was on its last breath. Decades of corruption, clientelism, and mismanagement had pushed the country to the brink of collapse. The announcement of a tax on WhatsApp calls was the spark: hundreds of thousands of Lebanese, from all sects, poured into the streets, shouting their anger at the political class. The slogans ...

LAF Soldiers “Led Into a Trap” in Zebqine Blast, Sources Say
ExclusiveLAF Soldiers “Led Into a Trap” in Zebqine Blast, Sources Say

Six Lebanese soldiers were killed on August 9 in a powerful explosion in the Zebqine valley near Majdel Zoun, in southern Lebanon’s Tyre district. While initial reports pointed to an accidental explosion, a U.S. intelligence source said that contacts within the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) confirmed the unit “was led into a ...

Israel Rocks South Lebanon with Dozens of Air Strikes
Israel Rocks South Lebanon with Dozens of Air Strikes

Israeli warplanes are carrying out a large-scale assault, launching dozens of air raids on the area and the valleys surrounding the towns of Ansar, Sinay, and Zarariya in south Lebanon. Intense airstrikes also targeted the area between the towns of Ansar, Sinay, and Bsafourah, marking one of the sharpest escalations in recent weeks. At least one ...

Israeli Escalation Envisioned: Timing Hinges on Multiple Factors
Israeli Escalation Envisioned: Timing Hinges on Multiple Factors

The Israelis have not ruled out intensifying their military strikes against Hezbollah across Lebanon. However, according to available information, they are closely monitoring three key issues: the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and Hamas’ compliance, the latest developments in the confrontation with Iran, and US policy ...

New UK-Supported Border Checkpoint Opens in Eastern Lebanon
New UK-Supported Border Checkpoint Opens in Eastern Lebanon

A new border checkpoint has been inaugurated along Lebanon’s eastern frontier, as part of a project funded by the UK’s Integrated Security Fund. This facility is part of a broader program aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to combat smuggling and cross-border illegal activities. The site visit ...

More than 400 Syrian Refugees Voluntarily Return Home from Lebanon
More than 400 Syrian Refugees Voluntarily Return Home from Lebanon

More than 400 Syrian refugees departed Lebanon on Wednesday morning as part of the fifth convoy of the voluntary repatriation plan organized by the Lebanese government, in coordination with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Lebanese Red Cross, and several humanitarian partners. The group ...

Israeli Drone Targets Car in South Lebanon, Driver Injured
Israeli Drone Targets Car in South Lebanon, Driver Injured

An Israeli drone fired two guided missiles at a civilian “Rapid” vehicle on the Seddiqin-Kafra road in southern Lebanon on Wednesday evening, injuring the driver, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. The attack occurred in the al-Asi area, near the “al-Rimal Cooperative,” prompting ambulances to rush to the scene. Initial reports ...

Lebanon’s Bananas Withstand TR4
Lebanon’s Bananas Withstand TR4

Under the southern Lebanese sun, banana trees proudly stretch their lush green leaves, standing tall against climate challenges, crises and conflict. In this fertile, humid region, bananas have become more than a crop; they are a national specialty. “We produce between 80,000 and 100,000 tons a year, and demand keeps rising,” says a grower ...

Patriarch Rai Says Pope Leo XIV Brings Peace
Patriarch Rai Says Pope Leo XIV Brings Peace

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai announced that Pope Leo XIV will visit Lebanon at the end of November, describing the upcoming trip as a “visit of peace and hope” for a country weary from decades of unrest. Speaking to Agence France-Presse in Bkerke, Rai stated that “the Pope has taken peace upon himself; his program is ...

Syrian Prisoners in Lebanon: One of Many Unresolved Cases
Syrian Prisoners in Lebanon: One of Many Unresolved Cases

A high-level Syrian delegation arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to address a long-neglected issue in strained bilateral relations: the case of Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons. Officially, the meeting aimed to finalize a judicial agreement to organize the transfer of Syrian nationals incarcerated in Lebanon back to Syria within a legal framework ...