Hezbollah

Hezbollah, Amal Supporters Stage Motorcycle Parades

Supporters of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement held motorcycle parades on Friday along the road leading to Beirut International Airport (BIA) and in the neighborhood of Mar Mikhael, only hours after the Cabinet endorsed the Lebanese Army’s plan to confine weapons to state institutions. Earlier in the day, the Lebanese Army reinforced its ...

The Guardianship Syndrome

Lebanon’s modern history has been shaped by successive forms of foreign tutelage, beginning with the proclamation of Greater Lebanon 105 years ago. Over the course of half a century, the country experienced various mandates and occupations: 23 years under the French Mandate, 30 years under Syrian domination, alongside repeated Israeli invasions ...

Council of Ministers: A Moment of Truth on Disarmament

The Council of Ministers will meet today to examine the Lebanese Army’s plan for militia disarmament. Despite the uncertainty, three points are clear before the session: the meeting will take place, ministers from the Shia duo will attend, and the army’s plan will be formally submitted to the government. However, serious doubts remain that ...

The Empty Chair Policy That No Longer Works

The empty chair is not a strategy, it is a disguised escape. While the vast majority of Lebanese want a functioning state, Hezbollah maintains its destructive blocking tactics. But this approach can no longer succeed. Since replacing the Syrian patron in 2005, the pro-Iranian group has steadily taken over institutions and created a chronic ...

Lebanese Army Raises Readiness Level to 75% Ahead of Cabinet Meeting

Hours ahead of Friday afternoon’s Cabinet meeting, the Lebanese Army has increased its readiness level to 75%, focusing its forces on monitoring sensitive points. The Lebanese Army is reported to be stepping up its deployment in Beirut, the suburbs and on key roads to prevent any clashes. Local broadcaster LBCI reported that strict directives ...

Disarming Hezbollah: The Lebanese Army Challenge

As Lebanon slowly recovers from the war between Hezbollah and Israel, the Lebanese Army faces a critical mission: extending state sovereignty across the entire country by establishing a monopoly on arms. This requires disarming the Iran-backed militia, a historic and high-risk operation that could redefine both the army’s role and the ...

The Lebanese Army Reinforces Presence Amid Hezbollah Support Rally

The Lebanese army intensified its presence on Thursday around the airport – a strategic location near the main access roads leading to the southern suburbs – and in southern Lebanon, following an internal directive that called for the “strict enforcement of the document issued on September 24, 2024, regarding raising the readiness rate to ...

Hezbollah’s Weapons: A Leaky Umbrella

On Friday, the Council of Ministers is, in principle and unless the session is postponed, scheduled to examine the army's plan to disarm Hezbollah. The key question is: Will there be a timeline or not? Without one, Hezbollah would gain time and save face while waiting to see how negotiations between Iran and the United States unfold. For everyone ...

Israel Carries Out a Series of Strikes in Southern Lebanon

The number of Israeli raids targeting villages in southern Lebanon has risen to more than 15 as of late Wednesday night. Around 10:00 p.m., a series of strikes hit the towns of Adloun and Ansariyah, with additional reports of heavy aerial activity in the region. According to the Ministry of Health on Thursday morning, 4 people were killed and 17 ...

Ofek 19, the New Israeli Spy Satellite

Israel announced on Wednesday that it had launched a new spy satellite into orbit, called Ofek 19. According to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, “This is also a message to all our enemies, wherever they may be: we are watching you constantly and under all circumstances.” For his part, Israeli President Isaac Herzog declared that “Israel ...

Hezbollah-Amal Maneuver Ahead of Cabinet Session

Hezbollah and Amal are hedging ahead of Friday’s Cabinet session, alternating between pledging attendance and claiming indecision. Their demands range from adding agenda items beyond the army’s weapons plan to entirely removing it and blocking any vote. Political sources were surprised by Speaker Nabih Berri’s insistence on expanding the ...