Lebanon

Regional Messaging Between Israel and Iran

The hands of the clock have frozen in the Middle East as the region waits out the deadline set by US President Donald Trump and his administration to conclude negotiations with Iran—before a potential military escalation that would decisively tip the balance in Israel’s favor. But everything unfolding in the region during this lull amounts to ...

Bint Jbeil Residents Intercept a UNIFIL Patrol

A UNIFIL patrol was intercepted on Tuesday by residents of Bint Jbeil after entering the town without an escort from the Lebanese Army. https://x.com/ThisIsBeirut_/status/1917165941978202441  This marks the second such incident in southern Lebanon in less than a week. Last Friday, another UNIFIL convoy was briefly blocked twice near the town of ...

Akkar Under Pressure: Over 24,000 Syrian Refugees in One Month

The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8 did not defuse the Syrian displacement crisis in Lebanon. Since March 10, 24,975 Syrians (or 5,188 families) have fled Syria’s coastal areas to seek refuge in northern Lebanon. These displaced people are spread across about thirty border towns and villages, particularly in Akkar, along the ...

All Eyes Turned on the Municipal Elections in Dahyeh

As Lebanon prepares for its first municipal elections since the October 2023 war with Israel, attention is turning to the southern suburbs of Beirut, or Dahyeh—a bastion of Hezbollah. The Shiite-majority area has long been under the political influence of Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement. But this year’s vote carries significance far ...

Hezbollah’s Naim Qassem Sets Three Priorities for Lebanon’s Stability

In a televised speech broadcast by Al-Manar on Monday, Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem outlined three major priorities he said were essential for Lebanon’s stability, recovery and development as the country prepares for upcoming municipal elections. Qassem emphasized that the first priority is ending Israeli aggression. He called for ...

Food Importers Reassure Consumers About Price Stability

As global trade tensions between the United States and China continue to disrupt international markets, the president of the Lebanese Food Importers’ Union, Hani Bohsali, sought on Monday to reassure Lebanese consumers about the stability of food prices. In a statement, Bohsali confirmed that food import prices to Lebanon remain stable despite ...

Army Retirees Threaten to Escalate Pressure for Better Pension

Amid growing frustration over deteriorating living conditions, the Military Retirees Movement announced a shift to a new phase of confrontation, warning of wide-ranging protests if the government fails to meet their demands. “After exhausting all means of dialogue and peaceful expression, and facing deafening silence and humiliating disregard ...

Washington-Tehran Dialogue: A Question of Trust

Can the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran be trusted? Should they be? Are they truly serious, strategically speaking, in their talks with the Trump administration? Are they genuinely capable of pursuing a path toward reintegration into the international community — with all the implications this would entail — and of breaking ...

Lebanon Condemns Israeli Airstrike on Beirut’s Southern Suburbs

An Israeli airstrike targeted a Hezbollah warehouse in the southern suburbs of Beirut late Sunday afternoon. Thick smoke rose into the sky and was visible from various parts of the capital. The attack was preceded by three mock strikes, following an earlier evacuation call issued by the Israeli army's Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichai ...

Lebanese Agriculture Between Challenges and Hope: The Central Role of Olive Oil and Partnerships for the Future

Amidst the many crises facing Lebanon, Minister of Agriculture Nizar Hani confirmed that Lebanese olive oil remains widely available on the market at affordable prices. He encouraged citizens to consume more of it to support local farmers and boost the national economy. Regarding soil quality in the south, the minister stated that ongoing tests ...

'The Constitution First', New Political Gathering Calls for Sovereignty, Reform, and Judicial Independence

A new political gathering, led by ex-MP and former Secretariat General Coordinator of the March 14 Alliance, Fares Soueid, was launched on Saturday under the name "The Constitution First." The main highlights of the group’s manifesto included: -The enactment of a new electoral law, including the redrawing of electoral districts ...

Washington: Hezbollah’s Financing and Disarmament are Interconnected

Combating the financing of terrorism was a central topic for the official Lebanese delegation at the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington. The most significant discussions were held with US Treasury Department officials, particularly involving Finance Minister Yassine Jaber and Central Bank ...