Israel’s Militarized Technology to Take on Hezbollah
Natasha Metni Torbey 04/10 19:14 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
Israel's technological advancements during this war have surprised many. Following the incident where pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah members simultaneously exploded in various regions of Lebanon due to a remote attack, the assassination of the pro-Iranian faction's secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, on September 27, has ...
Is Hezbollah on the Brink of Financial Collapse?
Natasha Metni Torbey 01/10 18:38 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Hezbollah faces severe trials in these times of war. Along with the heavy blows to its military and logistical capabilities from Israeli strikes—particularly in Dahyeh, the Beqaa Valley and the south—its financial resources appear to be on the verge of exhaustion. Myth or reality? As the Hezbollah-Israel conflict intensifies, with shifting ...
Israeli Ground Incursion: A High-Risk but Strategic Operation
Natasha Metni Torbey 30/09 21:15 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
At the speed at which political and security developments are unfolding in Lebanon and the region, even though Tel Aviv has succeeded in weakening Hezbollah, the possibility of an Israeli ground operation, still under consideration, remains militarily and strategically risky for Israel. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Israelis have ...
Who Will Succeed Hassan Nasrallah?
Natasha Metni Torbey 28/09 15:33 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hassan Nasrallah is no more. In a matter of seconds, the Israelis ended the life on Friday of the man who, since 1992, has led the controversial militia group Hezbollah. The strike, which shook Beirut for almost a minute, decapitated the pro-Iranian group, which Tel Aviv has amputated, with successive raids, by killing many of its military ...
Can Resolution 1701 Alone Resolve the Ongoing Conflict?
Natasha Metni Torbey 26/09 19:25 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Calls for de-escalation have fallen on deaf ears. Hezbollah and Israel both rejected the proposal from Paris and Washington for a 21-day temporary ceasefire, aimed at paving the way for negotiations toward a lasting calm along the Lebanese-Israeli border. Consequently, the emergency United Nations Security Council meeting, convened on Wednesday at ...
The Weakening of Hezbollah: Israel’s Tactical Goal Against Iran
Natasha Metni Torbey 24/09 20:55 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Diplomatic avenues are – at least for the time being – blocked. The objectives of the war have evolved, especially since the announcement made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on September 17 regarding the expansion of the conflict to allow the 68,000 residents of northern Israel to safely return home. To achieve this, the Lebanese ...
Hezbollah’s Telecom Network Reportedly Remains Fully Intact
Natasha Metni Torbey 23/09 18:48 - Reading : 9 minute(s)
Hezbollah’s telecom network, which reportedly spans nearly the entire national territory, is believed to be used almost exclusively by its military wing and activated only in times of combat or large-scale conflict. Israel's dramatic twin assault using booby-trapped transmission devices on Tuesday, September 17, and Wednesday, September 18, ...
Booby-Trapped Communication Devices: Yet No One to Blame
Natasha Metni Torbey 19/09 17:58 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Norta Global Ltd has emerged in the investigation of the booby-trapped pagers that exploded on Tuesday in Lebanon, killing 12 and injuring over 3,000, mostly Hezbollah fighters. According to Hungarian media Telex, this Bulgarian company, founded on April 14, 2022 (one month after the establishment of the Hungarian PR firm BAC Consulting Kft), is ...
Booby-Trapped Pagers and Walkie-Talkies: From Build to Blast
Natasha Metni Torbey 19/09 11:07 - Reading : 7 minute(s)
Once again, Lebanon was rocked by a wave of explosions that struck multiple regions on Wednesday afternoon. This time, the blasts were caused by Hezbollah walkie-talkies, specifically the Icom IC-F2100DT VHF model, reportedly manufactured by Icom Inc. (Aikomu Kabushiki-gaisha), a Japanese company specializing in radio communication ...
The Lebanese University, Against All Odds
Natasha Metni Torbey 16/09 17:34 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Education financial crisis Lebanese University
Faced with a financial crisis and constant threats of strikes that deeply affect its proper functioning, the Lebanese University (LU) has managed over the years to overcome all obstacles, ranking first among the six Lebanese universities that meet the criteria of the "QS World University Rankings," according to the 2025 world ranking evaluation. ...
Lebanese Road Network Rehabilitation: An Overly Ambitious Project?
Natasha Metni Torbey 09/09 19:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The rehabilitation of Lebanese roads is the focus of an ambitious program initiated by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in June of 2023. A section spanning several hundred kilometers is currently undergoing restoration, with over a hundred projects covering the entire territory. "No region has been spared in this process of restoring ...
Void at Military Council Following State Council Decision?
Natasha Metni Torbey 06/09 17:13 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
The Lebanese military is once again facing a potential void. This time, it is the Military Council that is at risk. After a decision to suspend the implementation of a measure taken on December 6 by the Caretaker Defense Minister, Maurice Slim, Major General Pierre Saab is set to retire on September 27... unless the State Council reverses its ...
Parliamentary Committees: Operating Guidelines and Political Context
Natasha Metni Torbey 03/09 19:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Scheduled for October 22, the upcoming elections of parliamentary committees — typically a routine affair — will this year be a focal point of political maneuvering amid rising tensions within the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM). For the FPM, the stakes are high, as the elections will decide whether key figures — Ibrahim Kanaan (Chair of ...
August 4: Weapons and Injustice
Natasha Metni Torbey 04/08 10:32 - Reading : 12 minute(s)
August 4 Beirut port explosion
Far from over, the path to justice for the victims of the Beirut port explosion remains a long and winding one. After Judge Jamal Hajjar was designated interim Attorney General to the Court of Cassation to replace Judge Ghassan Oweidate – and despite Hajjar’s pledge to unblock the inquiry led by Judge Tarek Bitar – the investigation is still ...
Tel Aviv Attack: Luck or New Military Technology?
Natasha Metni Torbey 19/07 19:29 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
After nine hours and 2,000 km, the “Jaffa” drone, launched at dawn toward Tel Aviv in an attack claimed by the Yemeni Houthis, evaded interception. Was it luck or new military technology? It is 3:10 AM. An explosion occurred at Hayarkon, at the corner of Ben-Yehuda Avenue and Shalom-Aleichem Street, near the local branch of the US consulate, ...
Israel-Hamas Agreement: What Is in Store?
Natasha Metni Torbey 08/07 19:01 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hamas has retracted. After making the question of a permanent ceasefire a condition for concluding any agreement with Israel, the Islamist group said on Sunday it was ready to negotiate the release of all Israeli hostages — about 120 — including soldiers, without such a provision. Although Tel Aviv's "official" reply is yet to be declared, ...
US Presidential Election: Is Joe Biden's Withdrawal Feasible?
Natasha Metni Torbey 28/06 22:06 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Donald Trump élections Joe Biden US
Following the first face-off of the presidential campaign, where US President Joe Biden squared off against his predecessor Donald Trump, concerns have arisen about the Democratic president's performance in the White House and his ability to continue governing the country. These concerns have echoed in both American and international media, ...
Germany & Hezbollah: Friends of Yore, Enemies of Today?
Natasha Metni Torbey 26/06 19:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Annalena Baerbock Germany Hezbollah Israel
During her two-day visit to Beirut this week, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was not received by the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri. What was Berri’s excuse? "A scheduling conflict," although Baerbock's visit to Lebanon is part of a tour she is conducting in the Middle East to try to defuse the escalating military ...
Hezbollah and Israel: War or Peace?
Natasha Metni Torbey 25/06 19:51 - Reading : 7 minute(s)
Listen to the article [audio mp3="https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Calls-for-de-escalation-between-Hezbollah-and-Israel-are-multiplying.-Between-the-two.mp3"][/audio] Calls for de-escalation between Hezbollah and Israel are multiplying. Between the two belligerents, who engaged in escalating confrontations in the ...
Will Hezbollah Succeed in Disrupting Lebanese-Cypriot Relations?
Natasha Metni Torbey 20/06 21:53 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Cyprus Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah Israel
The self-proclaimed decision-maker on matters of war and peace in Lebanon, Hezbollah strives to increase the country’s isolation from the rest of the world. Today, the focal point is Cyprus, located approximately 200 km from Lebanon, whose relations with the latter are at risk of significant deterioration, depending on the mood and interests of ...
Hodhod Footage: What Is Hezbollah’s Objective?
Natasha Metni Torbey 19/06 23:42 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
The Iranian-made drone (developed by Shahid Sattari University of Aeronautical Sciences and Technologies) that flew over several areas of Israeli territory, and allegedly enabled Hezbollah to release a ten-minute video on Tuesday, raises several questions about the process and the messages being conveyed. How was the drone able to take ...
Presidential Elections: Could the PSP Succeed Where the Moderation Failed?
Natasha Metni Torbey 04/06 12:44 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
The “initiatives” for the election of a new President of the Republic are multiplying. Following the “unsuccessful” venture of the National Moderation bloc, the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) starts their own today. The party's leader, Taymour Joumblatt, is due to hold talks in a while with the leader of the Lebanese Forces ...
Outcomes of Le Drian’s Visit to Lebanon
Natasha Metni Torbey 30/05 23:21 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Elias Bou Saab Jean-Yves Le Drian
It is no longer a secret that the visit of the French President's special envoy to Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, “failed to achieve a major breakthrough on the presidential issue,” as confirmed by a Western diplomatic source to This Is Beirut. However, this visit stands out from previous ones as it still prompted a slight shift in the stance ...
Palestine: Is Recognition Alone Enough for Statehood?
Natasha Metni Torbey 17/05 09:08 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
By the end of May, at least five European countries, including Ireland, Norway, Spain, Slovenia and Malta, are expected to officially recognize the State of Palestine. This decision follows the symbolic vote on May 10th at the United Nations General Assembly, where 143 out of 193 member states endorsed a resolution granting Palestine all ...
Syrian Migrants: Parliament Approves EU Aid, Crisis Persists
Natasha Metni Torbey 15/05 22:16 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
"Souddek! Souddek!" It was in these terms, that the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, lifted the parliamentary session, on Wednesday. The meeting lasted four hours and was intended to discuss the European donation of one billion euros. It was also in these terms that recommendations regarding the Syrian migrants’ crisis were approved ...
Sadek to TIB: After 12 Years, They Still Haven’t Found a Solution
Natasha Metni Torbey 15/05 12:48 - Reading : less than a minute
MP Waddah Sadek stated to TIB ahead of Wednesday’s parliamentary session that his bloc hopes today’s session will be a step in the right direction to dealing with the Syrian refugees dossier.
De Waele: Repatriation of Syrians Is an Ambition, Not a Plan
Natasha Metni Torbey 10/05 18:09 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The European Union (EU) seems to be on the defensive, especially since the uproar caused by the announcement last Thursday of a one-billion-euro aid package to help Lebanon put up with the burden of Syrian migrants. In a second attempt (the first being yesterday, May 9, on the occasion of Europe Day) to justify the granting of this sum over a ...
The Agreement Approved by Hamas: A Diplomatic Trap?
Natasha Metni Torbey 08/05 20:29 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Could there possibly be two versions of a ceasefire proposal for Gaza? Could there have been a modified version unbeknownst to Israeli authorities? According to Israeli statements, the Egyptian-Qatari proposal for a ceasefire in the enclave, approved by Hamas on Monday, differs from the one previously endorsed by Tel Aviv. However, there appears ...
EU Aid: an Attempt to Bribe Lebanon?
Natasha Metni Torbey 03/05 23:02 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Financial aid allocated by the European Union to Lebanon is known only by its amount. However, questions arise about whether the one billion euros (granted until 2027) is sufficient to "counter" the Syrian crisis and what will become of the plans proposed by the Lebanese government for the repatriation of Syrians from Lebanon. The announcement on ...
Israeli Operation in Rafah: When, How and Why?
Natasha Metni Torbey 26/04 21:13 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
The city of Rafah could mark the last military chapter of the war launched by Israel against Hamas. As negotiations leading to a potential truce struggle to advance, the Hebrew State remains committed to its project to launch a large-scale offensive in this roughly 64 km2 area south of Gaza, home to approximately one and a half million ...