Lebanon

Like Iraq, Lebanon Must Arrest Militia Commanders

While Iraq is acting like a sovereign state in its effort to disarm militias, Lebanon has largely become a bystander as Israel pursues the dismantlement of Hezbollah.

Israel Seeks To Preserve Military Depth in Gaza

“Israel is currently at the yellow line,” the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, told Israeli television on August 9. “That is where its troops are. What we are asking...

Tehran is losing its grip on Hormuz, and with it all its leverage

All the noise around Iran’s supposed stranglehold on oil supplies transiting through the Strait of Hormuz is missing the point. The reality is that the combination of Operations Midnight...

Donald Trump’s Lebanon Race

US rewards for Lebanon should follow, rather than precede, Hezbollah’s disarmament.

Arabs Must Make Peace with Zionism

Arabs who remain at war with Israel routinely blame their endless conflict on the Jewish state, pointing to the Gaza war, Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, and far-right ministers such as Itamar Ben-Gvir...

Disarming Hamas Is Easier Said Than Done

In fits and starts, President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza is progressing. After months of inertia over Hamas’s refusal to disarm, the White House announced a breakthrough on July...

Pragmatism Could Draw Syria and Hezbollah Into an Accommodation

During the Syrian civil war, Hezbollah spent years fighting the factions now ruling Damascus. Now, even as Damascus intercepts the group’s weapons and disrupts its supply routes, Hezbollah’s Secretary...

Subterranean Warfare: Can Pickaxe Mountain Be Destroyed?

The Axis of Aggressors vs. America

During the Cold War, the U.S. had only one major enemy – now we have four

Israel says Hezbollah launched drone attack on strategic ridge amid ceasefire

On July 29, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Hezbollah launched an “explosive drone” overnight toward an IDF engineering vehicle in the Ali Taher Ridge area of southern Lebanon. Ynet reported that...

Lebanese security forces incidentally discover Hezbollah weapons cache during raid

On July 29, Lebanese media reported that the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces (ISF), Lebanon’s national police and internal security services, conducted a dawn raid on the home of a...

Suspect in deadly Berlin Pride attack pledged allegiance to Islamic State, prosecutors say

On July 25, 2026, Abdul Rahman Ballout, a 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese descent who had recently been released from prison after being convicted of attempting to join the Islamic State, allegedly...

Countering Hezbollah Could Bring Syria and Israel Closer

“Syria is seeking a security agreement with Israel,” Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said in an interview with the Qatari-owned Al Jazeera on July 26. A successful agreement, he added, could...

Turkey’s Cautious Bid for Regional Power

The difference in how Turkey treats Greece and Israel illustrates its diplomatic and military strategy.

Hezbollah’s Financing Strategies: Recovering From War With Israel

Iran has spent more than four decades building Hezbollah into a force capable of making war against Israel in hopes of one day destroying the Jewish state. Israeli forces have inflicted tremendous damage on Hezbollah’s leadership, arsenal, and manpower, yet the terror group is rebuilding, thanks in no small part to its globe-spanning illicit finance network. To shed greater light on this crucial subject, FDD has invited Israeli expert Dr. Iftah Burman to provide a robust overview of the transnational web of enterprises, stretching across the Middle East — and from Latin America to West Africa and into cyberspace — that sustains Hezbollah’s aggression. This work provides information essential to intelligence and law enforcement agencies in every country, including the United States, that recognizes the severity of Hezbollah’s threat to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East.

We paid $3 billion for Lebanon’s army to make excuses for Hezbollah

This week, the president of Lebanon met at the White House with President Donald Trump to discuss the June security framework intended to systematically address Hezbollah’s military...

Mr. Aoun Came To Washington. Lebanon Now Owes Results.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s July 21 meeting with President Donald Trump clarified the terms of the U.S.-Lebanese relationship but did not resolve Lebanon’s central problem: Hezbollah’s weapons...

Why the Houthis Declared a Blockade on Saudi Arabia

The Yemeni militant group is poised to disrupt another key chokepoint in the global energy supply.

‘Pilot Zones’ Pitting Beirut Government Against Hezbollah Launched in South Lebanon

Israel ceded security control over three southern Lebanese towns on July 21 in a test of the Beirut government’s ability to keep out the Hezbollah terrorists who were operating in the area. The institution...

Syria’s leader charms the world, crushes the Druze. Israel should be wary

Sharaa seems to be a pragmatic diplomat, but before pursuing warmer ties, Jerusalem needs guarantees that he will stop repressing his minority citizens