Lebanon

Israel Halts Strike on Lebanon-Syria Crossing After U.S. Intervention

Israel paused plans to strike a key Lebanon-Syria border crossing after both countries urged the U.S. to keep the route open, a Lebanese source told Reuters Tuesday. The Israeli military had warned on April 4 that it would target the Masnaa crossing, the main land border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, “in the near future,” alleging that ...

Israel Military Says Completed Forward Deployment in South Lebanon

The Israeli military said on Tuesday it had completed the deployment of ground troops along a "defense line" in southern Lebanon, where it is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah. The military has not given any geographical details on the furthest point to which its soldiers have advanced into Lebanese territory. Israeli media reported that the ...

How the Iran War Can Help Reorient Shia Identity

As the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran nears the limits of its original target bank, the contours of a new phase are beginning to emerge, one defined by the search for a political exit from the war. Discussions are no longer confined to closed-door deliberations but are now unfolding in public. Fundamental questions are emerging about ...

Hezbollah Emerged from Iran’s Revolution, Not “Resistance” to Israel

A false claim, now common in Western media and academia, portrays Hezbollah as having emerged in response to Israel’s 1982 invasion and subsequent occupation of Lebanon. In reality, Hezbollah arose in the wake of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution as part of an effort to establish an Islamic state in a Lebanon fractured by warring militias. Since ...

Disarming Hezbollah's Ideology to Protect Lebanon's Future

The Iranian regime’s threats against U.S. educational institutions in the Middle East have raised alarm across the region, including in Lebanon, where a pro-Hezbollah journalist even spoke of the “benefits” of a potential attack on students in Beirut. Tehran’s bellicose language has been taken seriously by Washington. “Iran and its ...

Decapitation of Iranian Military and Intelligence Leadership: Timeline and Structure

Since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran on February 28, a series of coordinated strikes by both countries has dramatically reshaped Iran’s military and political command structure. The U.S.-led Operation Epic Fury and Israel’s Operation Roaring Lion have systematically targeted senior Iranian officials, top advisors, ...

Makhzoumi: Peace with Israel Is Lebanon's Only Option, Hezbollah Must Be Dismantled

In an exclusive interview with This is Beirut, Parliamentarian Fouad Makhzoumi discussed critical issues in Lebanon: achieving peace with Israel through clear government mandates, fully disarming Hezbollah and cutting its funding, and restoring government control over security, aid, and reconstruction efforts. By Claudia Groeling and Kaline Antoun

Defiant Iran Ramps up Attacks After Trump Warning

Iran launched fresh attacks across the Middle East on Monday and threatened "devastating" retaliation, after US President Donald Trump's expletive-laced warning that Tehran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Israel, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates reported a barrage of missile and drone strikes early Monday. The attacks came as Tehran ramped ...

Aoun Says 'Negotiation is Not Surrender,' Presses for Diplomacy

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun gave a televised address on Sunday where he stressed the need for a diplomatic track, an overture which has stalled recently due to a shared perception the Lebanese state appears unwilling or unable to take serious action to disarm Hezbollah. Speaking on the prospects for diplomatic talks, President Aoun said, ...

Israel Says Will Strike Lebanon-Syria Border Crossing

The Israeli military said on Saturday it would strike an area near the main crossing between Syria and Lebanon, urging residents to evacuate immediately as it continued its attacks across Lebanon. Israel has carried out strikes across Lebanon and launched a ground invasion in the south since March 2, when Hezbollah entered the war in the Middle ...

Israel Says Striking Hezbollah Sites in Beirut After Destroying Bridge

The Israeli military said Saturday it had begun striking "Hezbollah infrastructure" in Beirut after it destroyed a bridge in eastern Lebanon to prevent the Iran-backed group's reinforcements from crossing. An AFP journalist heard two loud explosions in the capital within half an hour early Saturday and saw smoke billowing from one of them. Local ...