hezbollah

Mullahs Wearing Sombreros: Hezbollah in Latin America

The so-called “tri-border area,” at the junction of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, has long attracted tourists, notably thanks to the famous Iguaçu Falls. But behind this idyllic setting lies a much more troubling reality: this region is also a strategic hub for transnational criminal networks, including Hezbollah. Washington, which is ...

Three Killed in Israeli Strikes on Southern Lebanon

An Israeli drone strike in the southern Lebanese town of Aitaroun on Wednesday targeted a motorcycle, killing one person, in what marks the third fatality from Israeli attacks in the region that day. The Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television reported that the victim was a member of Hezbollah. Shortly afterwards, the Public Health ministry announced ...

Acting Hermel Caimacam Arrested Over Disappearance of Election Accreditations

The Acting Qaimaqam of Hermel, Talal Kataya, was arrested on Tuesday by Lebanon’s State Security Service for his suspected role in the disappearance of nearly 500 official election accreditations designated for polling delegates in the Baalbeck-Hermel district. The arrest was carried out under orders from the judicial authorities in the Beqaa, ...

Government to Tighten Control Over Weapons as Part of National Reform Plan, insists Salam

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam confirmed on Tuesday that the government is committed to ensuring that all weapons in the country remain solely in the hands of the state, as part of broader efforts to restore national sovereignty, stability, and international trust. The statement was made during the opening of the first edition of “Beirut ...

Lebanon Reduced to the Scale of a Mukhtar

While Saudi Arabia was signing investment deals with the United States worth over $600 billion, and President Donald Trump was pursuing economic ventures exceeding $4 trillion to boost the global economy and forge new alliances, Lebanon was engaging in international politics on the scale of a mukhtar, a village chief. As developments began to ...

Mahmoud Abbas Expected in Beirut: Will Palestinian Disarmament Be Addressed?

The Palestinian issue has long weighed on Lebanon, with consequences that have directly undermined its sovereignty. The Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, shook the region and left little room for any return to the old status quo. As the political landscape across the Middle East continues to shift, Lebanon faces its own urgent ...

Trump’s Regional Peace Play: A New Pax Americana?

Donald Trump’s whirlwind tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE was far more than a ceremonial diplomatic visit. Grounded in deep strategic, political and economic stakes, it marked a decisive attempt to recast the American role in a region long scarred by conflict and fractured alliances. Arriving with a regional peace blueprint in hand, ...

Municipal Elections: Preliminary Lessons and Takeaways

The municipal vote held on Sunday, May 18—much like those earlier this month—was largely local in scope. In small villages, elections often took on a personal, familial or even clan-based dynamic. However, in larger cities such as Zahle, Baalbeck and Hermel, the contests were more clearly partisan, though not necessarily aligned with broader ...

Municipal Elections in Beirut and Beqaa: Political Messages Emerge Amid Low Turnout

The third round of Lebanon’s municipal and mukhtar elections was held on Sunday across the capital Beirut and in the governorates of Beqaa and Baalbeck-Hermel. Over one million voters were eligible to cast their ballots. Voter turnout varied significantly: 20% in Beirut, 46.73% in Baalbeck, 45.16% in Zahle, 41.41% in West Beqaa, 34.56% in ...

Jailbreaking 

The proactive diplomacy of President Donald Trump is proceeding steadily on multiple fronts. The very fact that he is moving on multiple fronts and breaking the taboos that have hobbled international political life is a good omen. The sanctioning tariffs seem to open up the fray for negotiations on the outside and for renewed investment dynamics ...