Lebanon

Assad Is Gone. The Syrian Problem Persists
Op-edAssad Is Gone. The Syrian Problem Persists

Nine months after Bashar al-Assad's fall and Ahmad al-Sharaa's rise to power, the UN Security Council met to address Syria’s ongoing crisis. The Council urged Damascus to establish a government “of the Syrians, by the Syrians, for the Syrians.” Despite the change in leadership, the Security Council views Syria as a failing state. Damascus ...

Hezbollah and the Monopoly of Arms: A Political Tug of War
Hezbollah and the Monopoly of Arms: A Political Tug of War

Lebanon’s long-standing dispute over weapons has moved from political debate to decisive state action. Following a landmark Cabinet ruling, Hezbollah’s legal justification for maintaining arms has been revoked, forcing the group to either disarm peacefully or face consequences. Since the 1989 Taif Agreement, Hezbollah has refused to hand over ...

Civil Defense Warns of Heat Wave, Fire and Flood Risks
Civil Defense Warns of Heat Wave, Fire and Flood Risks

The Civil Defense on Monday urged the public to take extra precautions as an extreme heat wave grips Lebanon through Saturday, August 16, warning of heightened risks of heat-related illnesses, wildfires and sudden flash floods. In a statement, the Civil Defense announced that it has activated a nationwide emergency plan and instructed its units ...

Jannati Dismisses Hezbollah Disarmament as ‘Illusory Dream’
Jannati Dismisses Hezbollah Disarmament as ‘Illusory Dream’

The Secretary of the Iranian Guardian Council, Ahmad Jannati, dismissed the prospect of disarming the pro-Iranian militia Hezbollah as an “illusory dream” in remarks at a council meeting on Monday. Jannati’s comments coincided with the anniversary of the 33-day war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, which he described as a ...

Larijani Starts Iraq and Lebanon Tour Amid High Tensions over Hezbollah's Disarmament
Larijani Starts Iraq and Lebanon Tour Amid High Tensions over Hezbollah's Disarmament

Ali Larijani, the head of Iran's top security body, met with senior officials in Iraq on Monday, ahead of a visit to Lebanon, where the government plans to disarm Tehran-backed group Hezbollah. Tehran has suffered a series of blows in its long-running rivalry with Israel, including during 12 days of open war between the two countries in ...

Lebanon’s Endless Summer Blackouts: A Crisis on Repeat
Lebanon’s Endless Summer Blackouts: A Crisis on Repeat

On the night of August 10 to 11, just after midnight, Lebanon plunged once again into total darkness. A “serious technical incident,” now a familiar phrase, struck the main Zouk power plant, a source at Électricité du Liban (EDL) told This is Beirut. The cause: a breakdown of insulation in a connection insulator, triggered by a dangerous ...

Zebqine Explosion: Rising Speculation Following the Death of Six Soldiers
ExplainerZebqine Explosion: Rising Speculation Following the Death of Six Soldiers

Six Lebanese soldiers lost their lives on Saturday, August 9, in a powerful blast in the Zebqine valley near Majdel Zoun, in the Tyre district. The soldiers, who were part of the Engineering Unit, were carrying out a mission to dismantle an ammunition depot alongside members of the Fifth Brigade when the explosion occurred. This tragedy comes at ...

Fares Souhaid: Disarming Hezbollah Is a Constitutional Duty
Fares Souhaid: Disarming Hezbollah Is a Constitutional Duty

Fares Souhaid, president of the Constitution First Gathering, stated that disarming Hezbollah is a constitutional duty, emphasizing that it is a commitment enshrined in the Taif Agreement. Souhaid made his remarks during a joint press conference hosted by the Saydet el-Jabal Gathering and the Constitution First Gathering at the headquarters of ...

Army Arrests Drug and Arms Smugglers in East Lebanon
Army Arrests Drug and Arms Smugglers in East Lebanon

The Lebanese Army announced on Monday that it conducted a series of security operations, resulting in multiple arrests and the seizure of illicit materials, including drugs and arms. In a raid in the town of Brital in Baalbeck, an army unit, supported by a Directorate of Intelligence patrol, arrested a Lebanese national and a Syrian for ...

Aoun Offers Condolences to Wadi Zebqine Blast Victims, Checks on Wounded Soldiers
Aoun Offers Condolences to Wadi Zebqine Blast Victims, Checks on Wounded Soldiers

President Joseph Aoun visited on Monday Minister of Defense Maj. Gen. Michel Menassa and Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal at Yarze to extend condolences for the soldiers killed in the Wadi Zebqine incident and checked on wounded troops. At Geitaoui Hospital, Aoun checked on the condition of a wounded soldier, met the medical team and the ...

US Envoy to Visit Beirut as Lebanon Pushes Ahead with Disarmament Plan
US Envoy to Visit Beirut as Lebanon Pushes Ahead with Disarmament Plan

Lebanese political leaders in contact with US envoy Tom Barrack confirmed he will visit Lebanon on August 18 to follow up on the decision to place all weapons under the state’s exclusive authority, as outlined in the US proposal negotiated with Lebanese authorities, particularly Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. Official sources voiced confidence ...

Geagea Warns of Iranian Threat to Lebanon’s Sovereignty, Urges Arab and UN Action
Geagea Warns of Iranian Threat to Lebanon’s Sovereignty, Urges Arab and UN Action

Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea lambasted Iran on Monday, accusing it of posing a “direct threat” to Lebanon’s sovereignty. He cited Tehran’s recent criticism of Beirut’s plan to disarm non-state actors, including Iran’s ally Hezbollah. Geagea voiced strong support for the government’s decision taken on August 5 and 7 to ...