14 Billion Dollars: The Devastating Losses of the Hezbollah-Israel Conflict

Christiane Tager 21/02 22:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel European Union Gulf Damage War

$14 billion! That is the historic and no less colossal amount of damage caused by the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. This sum includes both material damage and economic losses. The reconstruction costs are estimated at around $12 billion.   For Nassib Ghobril, chief economist at Byblos Bank, economic losses amount to at least $3 ...

Interviews'Pays amer': Georgia Makhlouf Revives the Memory of the Pioneers

Bélinda Ibrahim 21/02 18:00 - Reading : 7 minute(s)

Lebanon Novel Georgia Makhlouf Interview Culture

Pays amer (Presses de la Cité, 2024) is Georgia Makhlouf’s third novel. It weaves together the stories of two Lebanese female photographers, separated by a century. One narrative unfolds in the 1920s, a time when Lebanon is shaping its future, while the other centers on Mona, a woman in 2020, navigating a country in crisis. Oscillating between ...

Security Meetings Ahead of Nasrallah's Funeral on Sunday

This is Beirut 21/02 17:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon United States Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah

Two security meetings were held on Friday, two days ahead of the funeral of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. The first meeting took place in the morning in Baabda, chaired by President Joseph Aoun, during which “planned security measures were discussed.” A second meeting followed in the afternoon at the Ministry of ...

ExplainerBDL Reserves at $10.526 Billion, $3.2 Billion Disbursed Through Circulars 158 and 166

Maurice Matta 21/02 11:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Economy Central Bank

In line with the Lebanese Central Bank (BDL) policy to raise withdrawal limits, and following consultations with President General Joseph Aoun, House Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, BDL’s Central Council decided earlier this week to increase the ceiling under Circular No. 158 to $500 per month ...

Abolition of Political Sectarianism: Is It the Right Time?

Johnny Kortbawi 21/02 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Hezbollah sectarianism Taif Agreement Lebanon

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s call for the abolition of political sectarianism and the formation of a national commission for this purpose can be understood in light of his secularist stance and his well-known legal and political background. If anyone has the right to push for this socio-political shift in Lebanon, it is Nawaf Salam. However, it ...

Israel Says Strikes Lebanon-Syria Border Crossings Used by Hezbollah

This is Beirut 21/02 08:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel Syria Border

Israel said Friday it struck crossings on the Lebanon-Syria border used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons, with a Syria war monitor reporting an unspecified number of people wounded in the attack. The Israeli military said its air forces "struck crossing points in the area of the Lebanon-Syria border" used by Hezbollah  "in attempts to smuggle ...

ExplainerAfter the Withdrawal Limit Increase: What About BDL Reserves?

Christiane Tager 20/02 22:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Economy Banks Central Bank

In a highly anticipated move, Lebanon’s Central Bank (BDL) announced on Wednesday an increase in the withdrawal limits for Circulars 158 and 166, raising them to $500 and $250 per month, respectively, effective March 1. While the decision was welcomed by depositors, it has sparked concerns over its cost and potential impact on BDL’s reserves ...

Op-edWhen Kostanian Admits Defeat and the End of Kulluna Irada’s Project!

Tony Abi Najem 20/02 21:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Banks Central Bank of Lebanon Hezbollah

The article written by Albert Kostanian, published on al-Modon’s website and titled “Announcing Defeat,” stood out. He begins with the statement: “After nearly six years of media and technical battles, the time has come to announce defeat.” In this article, where every sentence could be analyzed, it is important to focus on several key ...

InterviewsExclusive: Dr. Matthew Levitt: A Majority of Lebanese Are Annoyed by Hezbollah's Entry into War with Israel

Tylia El Helou 20/02 21:45 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon Hezbollah USA Israel Lebanese Army

In an exclusive interview, Dr. Matthew Levitt, the Director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, explained how the Lebanese Army exceeded Washington’s expectations in its deployment in South Lebanon. He also explained that Lebanon and Israel should start discussing peace ...

Lebanese Christian Border Village in Ruins After Israeli Withdrawal

This is Beirut 20/02 18:30 - Reading : less than a minute

The Lebanese Christian community of Surda, near Tal al-Hamames, returned to its village following the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers, only to find it largely destroyed after more than a year of conflict.

Storm Adam: Essential Precautionary Measures

This is Beirut 20/02 18:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Internal Security Forces Storm Adam Snow precautions

With the arrival of Storm Adam and a significant drop in temperatures, it is crucial to take precautionary measures to mitigate the risks associated with extreme cold, heavy rainfall in some areas and hazardous road conditions. Lebanon’s meteorological service forecasts heavy snowfall and ice at high altitudes, particularly from Friday night ...

UNHCR: 89,000 Arrivals from Syria in Baalbeck amid Ongoing Border Crossings

This is Beirut 20/02 18:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Baalbeck United Nations

Informal border crossings from Syria into Lebanon persist, with a total of 89,000 arrivals reported in Baalbeck as of February 12, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced in a statement on Wednesday. Among them, only 20,000 are Lebanese returnees, the agency said. While daily crossings at the Masnaa official border ...