hezbollah

Lebanon and Syria to Form Committees to Address Prisoners, Missing Persons, and Border Issues

Lebanon and Syria are set to establish two joint committees to tackle three major issues affecting relations between the two countries, judicial and security officials said, according to the Associated Press. The committees will focus on the fate of nearly 2,000 Syrian prisoners currently held in Lebanese prisons, locating Lebanese citizens who ...

Post-Berri Speech: Would Iran Use Hezbollah’s Weapons in Nuke Negotiations?

Without ceremony or pomp, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri buried the American proposal brought to Lebanon by envoy Tom Barrack, a plan already endorsed by the Lebanese government. In a televised address marking the 47th anniversary of Imam Musa al-Sadr’s disappearance with his two companions, Berri declared, “We are open to ...

Abbas Determined to Withdraw All Palestinian Weapons from Lebanon

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday that his leadership is determined to withdraw all Palestinian weapons from Lebanon, calling the step essential to the country’s security and sovereignty. In an interview with Al-Arabiya, Abbas confirmed that he had reached an understanding with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on carrying out the ...

UNIFIL Exit: Organizing the Withdrawal of 10,000 Peacekeepers from Southern Lebanon

On August 28, the UN Security Council voted to end the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on December 31, 2026. After nearly half a century of presence in southern Lebanon, the 10,000 peacekeepers will be required to withdraw in 2027. The operation will be complex – logistically, militarily and diplomatically. How ...

Lebanon, UNIFIL, and the Return of Sovereignty and Peace

There was a real possibility earlier this summer that the United States was going to veto the renewal of the UNIFIL mandate in August. Ultimately, a wiser course prevailed, when the UN Security Council extended UNIFIL's mandate "for a final time" last week until the end of 2026.  This step is a positive one for everyone concerned except ...

Disarming Militias: Time for Lebanon to Assert a Firm Stance?

Lebanon is entering a critical week as the Cabinet prepares to meet on Friday, September 5. During the session, the army’s plan to disarm militias – most notably Hezbollah – is expected to be presented. The meeting comes amid mounting pressure from Israel and the United States, deep internal divisions and a so-called “consensus” ...

Bolton: Disarming Hezbollah Is Key to Middle East Peace

In an article to the Telegraph on Sunday, former US National Security Advisor John Bolton warned that Lebanon faces an existential choice: emerge from decades of war or again fall into civil conflict and terrorist domination. He argued that Israel’s strikes against Iran and its proxies following Hamas’s October 7 attack give Lebanon a chance ...

Seeking Regional Leaders with Sadat’s Vision

Clothes do not make the man – a saying that fits today’s leaders of Iran’s radical factions, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Tehran’s proxies in Iraq and Yemen. They issue routine inflammatory statements and adopt media stances that are often exaggerated, sometimes bordering on the absurd. In response to the upheavals sweeping the region, they ...

Berri Reiterates Call for Dialogue, Defense Strategy

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri marked on Sunday the 47th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr with a speech that emphasized time and his call for dialogue on a national defense strategy and the future of arms. This is a key demand of Hezbollah, which rejects the government’s plan to establish a state monopoly over weapons. His ...

Army Intelligence Arrests Majdel Zoun Men Blocking UNIFIL Patrol

Army intelligence arrested three young men from Majdel Zoun in the Tyre district on Sunday after they prevented a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol from passing through the town. Such obstructions have become increasingly common, often carried out by supporters of Hezbollah, complicating UNIFIL’s mission to monitor and ...

Israeli Army Targets Hezbollah Infrastructure in Southern Lebanon

Early on Sunday morning, the Israeli military launched a series of heavy airstrikes on the Nabatiyeh district in southern Lebanon, an area that has been repeatedly targeted in recent weeks. According to local sources cited by the Al-Markazia news agency, over 10 air raids struck the area of Ali al-Taher and its surroundings, not far from Beaufort ...

Cabinet to Discuss Disarmament Plan in Upcoming Friday Session

The Council of Ministers will hold a session on Friday, September 5, at 3:00 PM, at the Presidential Palace to review and discuss the implementation of the disarmament plan. The army was tasked with preparing the plan, in accordance with Article Two of Cabinet Resolution No. 1, dated August 5, 2025. Earlier today, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam ...