Hezbollah

Khamenei Says Iran Does not Have or Need Regional Proxy Forces

Iran's supreme leader denied Sunday that militant groups around the region functioned as Tehran's proxies, warning that if his country chose to "take action", it would not need them anyway. The remarks came after a year in which Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza suffered heavy losses in wars with Israel, and two weeks after the ...

Addressing Ceasefire Violations and Israeli Withdrawals: Efforts Underway in the Coming Days

According to sources close to Speaker Berri, Hochstein is expected to chair the next meeting of the monitoring committee after the Christmas and New Year holidays, as he promised to Berri. A Western diplomatic source following the committee's work noted that an assessment of the situation in the south after the November 27 ceasefire reveals ...

Jean-Marc Ayoubi: A Leading Figure in Reproductive Medicine

March 31, 2019, is a landmark date in French medical history. On that day, Professor Jean-Marc Ayoubi led a pioneering surgical team to carry out the country’s first uterus transplant. The recipient, a 34-year-old woman born without a uterus due to MRKH syndrome, received the organ from a living donor — her own mother. Reflecting on the ...

What Is Israel Doing in Syria?

On the morning of Sunday, December 8, as the Syrian people had just rid themselves of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the Israeli military declared the Golan Heights a “closed military zone,” while reinforcing its military deployment there. A few hours later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced from this territory, annexed by Israel in ...

Beirut's Humiliating Street Names

In Beirut, there is a specific mechanism for naming streets, involving the municipality and the Ministry of Interior, as well as third parties proposing names, provided they are approved by the concerned official authorities. Beirut’s streets carry various names, ranging from those of intellectuals and artists to individuals celebrated for ...

New Warning From Adraee and Continued Israeli Operations in Naqoura

Three Lebanese citizens were kidnapped on Thursday evening by the Israeli army in Wadi Houjeir (Marjeyoun) in south Lebanon. They have been identified as Mahdi Chammout, Fouad Qataya and Ali Younes, according to several media reports.  In yet another warning from the Israeli army's Arabic-speaking spokesman, Avichay Adraee, residents of ...

Tyre Post-War: Between Reconstruction and Compensation

In Tyre, while some areas show signs of recovery from the war, others still grapple with the effects of destruction. On the third week of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, This Is Beirut documents the reality of life in this coastal city.

Yemen: the Houthis Claim Responsibility for Firing on Israel After Strikes Against Their Infrastructure

Yemen's Houthi rebels on Thursday claimed responsibility for firing two missiles and a drone at Israel after Israeli raids on Yemeni ports and energy infrastructure, which left nine people dead according to their leader. The Israeli army announced that it had struck ports and energy infrastructure belonging to the Houthis, more than 1,500 ...

Gabriel and Schenker Call on the Lebanese to Elect a Strong President

Former ambassador and President of the American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL), Edward Gabriel, expressed hope and confidence that Lebanon would have a new president of the republic on January 9, ending a two-year presidential deadlock. “We are excited about the dialogue taking place between the opposition parties, and between various political ...

Hezbollah Faces a Shrinking Support Base

At a time when all norms in Lebanon and its surrounding regions have been overturned, with one downfall following another — from Hamas in Gaza to Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Assad regime in Syria — huge changes continue to unfold, provoking reactions from the entire “Axis of resistance.” This axis has collapsed, dragging along those who ...

“Lebanon in the 'Day After': The Last Chance?” A New Policy Brief by GGCO and CIH

As part of the Partnership between the Good Governance and Citizenship Observatory (GGCO) at The American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Civic Influence Hub (CIH), the two organizations have published a Policy Brief titled " Lebanon in the 'Day After': The Last Chance?" In a press release published on Thursday, GGCO and CIH explain that the ...

Express Cleanup Before Change of Tenant

Just a few weeks ago, the defunct “Axis of Resistance” still managed to maintain its facade. From Iran — both a bystander and instigator — to Lebanon, passing through Gaza, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, the fronts were numerous. But the pretense has crumbled, revealing an empty shell. The turning point began in Lebanon. Defying ...