About our Lebanon news
Latest news on Lebanon, covering Beirut, Hezbollah, Israel-Lebanon ceasefire talks, the Lebanese economy, reconstruction, UNIFIL and politics across the Levant.
Lebanon is a Mediterranean country bordered by Israel to the south and Syria to the north and east, with Beirut as its capital. Tripoli, Sidon and Tyre are its other major cities, while the Bekaa Valley and Mount Lebanon shape its geography and politics. Its sectarian power-sharing system reserves the presidency for a Maronite Christian, the premiership for a Sunni Muslim and the speakership for a Shia Muslim.
Security and diplomacy dominate the headlines. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah reignited in March 2026 during the wider regional war involving Iran, ending the uneasy calm that followed the November 2024 ceasefire. Israel has held a self-described buffer zone in the south, and strikes have continued despite a truce. Direct, US-brokered talks between Lebanon and Israel have produced a framework agreement, but withdrawal and Hezbollah's weapons remain the central disputes.
Political and economic pressures add to the strain. Parliament postponed elections until 2028 because of the war, and the banking collapse that began in 2019 wiped out most of the Lebanese pound's value. IMF-backed reforms, including the banking resolution law and the financial gap law, remain central to any recovery. The UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL, deployed since 1978, is being wound down, raising questions about the Lebanese army's role in the south.
Behind the politics are the people. At its peak the fighting displaced more than a million residents, and families have sheltered in schools, host communities and camps while aid agencies, volunteers and the Lebanese Red Cross respond. Lebanon also hosts large numbers of Syrian and Palestinian refugees, and relations with Damascus now centre on border demarcation, smuggling and returns. Culture endures through Lebanese cuisine, music, publishing, the Baalbek International Festival and a vast global diaspora.
Modern Lebanon took shape with independence in 1943 and the National Pact that shared power among its sects. The 1975 to 1990 civil war, ended by the Taif Agreement, left deep scars, and Syrian forces stayed until 2005. After Israel's withdrawal from the south in 2000, the 2006 war produced UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which still frames debate over the Blue Line. The 2020 Beirut port explosion, which killed more than 220 people, continues to drive demands for accountability, and the investigation has advanced towards a possible indictment. Phoenician heritage and UNESCO sites at Baalbek, Byblos, Tyre, Anjar and the Qadisha Valley add a deeper layer.
Our ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ feed on Lebanon gathers the latest headlines from reliable sources on Israel-Lebanon talks, Hezbollah, Beirut, the economy and humanitarian relief. Whether you follow diplomacy, security or daily life, it is a quick way to stay informed on Lebanon.