hezbollah

Ortagus Puts Lebanon at a Crossroads: Disarm Hezbollah or Lose Aid

Lebanon is at a crossroads: disarm Hezbollah "as soon as possible," implement the ceasefire agreement with Israel, and carry out essential reforms, or face isolation. This was made clear by Morgan Ortagus, the US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, during an interview with LBCI on Sunday evening. While expressing optimism about the new ...

Morgan Ortagus Calls for Proposals to Disarm Hezbollah According to Resolution 1701

Morgan Ortagus, the US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, surprised Lebanese officials with a message that was more measured and diplomatic than anticipated ahead of her visit. Rather than taking a harder line on disarming Hezbollah, Ortagus approached the issue through the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire ...

Morgan Ortagus and the Politics of Soft Power

The US President's Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus, appears to be pursuing a policy of soft power diplomacy in Lebanon, where she began an official two-day mission yesterday. Arriving in Beirut on Friday, the American envoy held talks on Saturday morning with President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Speaker ...

PMI Drops to Five-Month Low amid Economic Instability

Lebanon’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), published by BlomInvest on Thursday, fell sharply in March 2025 to a five-month low, signaling deteriorating business conditions. The index registered 47.6 points, a significant drop from 55.5 in February, driven by declines in production and new orders. Ali Belbol, a senior economist and the head ...

US Senators Back Lebanese Army in Curbing Hezbollah

US Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), ranking members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a joint statement on Friday calling on Lebanon’s new government to seize the moment to reduce Hezbollah’s influence and implement crucial economic reforms. “We are at a critical moment in Lebanon,” the senators ...

Schenker: Lebanon Must Step Up Efforts to Disarm Hezbollah

Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs David Schenker stated that “Lebanon must continue its efforts to disarm Hezbollah.” He also said, “Peace is essential, but it will only last if other measures are taken beforehand.” Speaking on MTV's Sar el-Waet program, which aired on Thursday night, Schenker noted that the ...

Israeli Drone Strike in Saida Kills Hamas Official

Israel said it killed a Hamas commander on Friday at dawn in a strike in Saida that also killed his adult son, Hamza, who was a member of Hamas's military wing, and daughter. “Overnight, the (army and the domestic security agency Shin Bet) conducted a targeted strike in the Sidon area, eliminating the terrorist Hassan Farhat, commander ...

Israeli Strikes Target Vehicles and Prefabricated Structures in South Lebanon

Tensions persisted on Thursday as Israel carried out multiple strikes across southern Lebanon, targeting vehicles and prefabricated structures. At around 9 PM, Israeli Apache helicopters fired missiles at prefabricated lodgings in Naqoura, setting off sirens at the nearby UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) base. This occurred hours ...

How the Security Situation Is Reshaping Lebanon’s Real Estate Map

Due to the destruction and instability caused by the war between Hezbollah and Israel, particularly in the southern suburbs of Beirut, many people have been forced to flee to safer regions of Lebanon. The cazas (districts) of Baabda, Metn and Chouf, as well as certain sectors of Beirut, have become refuge areas. How is the security situation ...

Morgan Ortagus: The Architect of Historic Change in Lebanon

Morgan Ortagus, the U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, arrives in Beirut this Friday with a clear objective: to transform the status quo and usher in a new era of stability for Lebanon. A true strategist in American diplomacy, she carries a strong message from Washington aimed at resolving border disputes with Israel, encouraging the ...

Mission Ortagus 2: Disarming Hezbollah and Addressing Border Tensions

Morgan Ortagus, the US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, is scheduled to arrive in Beirut tomorrow, Friday, as part of a renewed effort to resolve the ongoing conflict between Lebanon and Israel and to revive negotiations over border disputes. Until yesterday, the Lebanese government had not been informed of Ortagus’s visit. However, ...

Hezbollah Struggles with Internal Divisions Amid Economic and Leadership Crises

Hezbollah’s silence and inaction in the face of ongoing Israeli attacks have raised significant questions about the group’s internal stability. Israeli media have reported mounting challenges in the Iran-backed group, particularly following the severe damage it sustained during the recent conflict with Israel. These setbacks have ...