Lebanon
Lebanon | Middle EastCurrent Operations
UNIFIL
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UN-led)
Authorization date: 03/78
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UNSCOL
Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon
Authorization date: 02/07
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News
Lebanon has appointed Charbel Wehbe as foreign minister after Nassif Hitti resigned from the position, saying the country risked becoming a "failed state" and the government showed a lack of reformist will.
Conflicting narratives, lack of evidence leaves much about Monday's escalation between Hezbollah and Israel unclear. UN peacekeepers are investigating an incident on Lebanon's southern border after Israel said it foiled a Hezbollah "infiltration attempt", though the Iran-backed group said the allegations were "absolutely not true".
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab said Tuesday that Israel had violated his country’s sovereignty with what he called a “dangerous military escalation” after Israeli and Hezbollah forces traded cross-border fire Monday.
A confluence of government malpractice, economic instability and external interference has driven Lebanon's devastating crisis. Without significant change, there are concerns it could persist indefinitely.
An uprising of unprecedented scope has rocked Lebanon as the country’s economy tumbles deeper into recession. Poverty and unemployment could lead to violent unrest. Donors should put together an emergency package but condition further aid upon reforms to tackle corruption, a major grievance driving protest.
Diab warns pandemic could trigger global food security emergency that would put vulnerable countries like Lebanon at particular risk, calls for US and EU to set up emergency fund.
An unprecedented economic crisis, nationwide protests and coronavirus restrictions are posing the biggest threat to stability since the end of the civil war in 1990.
Hundreds of protesters have clashed with troops in Tripoli for a second day. The anti-government sentiment, fueled by an ongoing financial collapse, drove people to the streets despite a coronavirus lockdown.
An Israeli drone targeted a car of the Lebanese Hezbollah movement just inside Syria near the border with Lebanon on Wednesday, without casualties, a source from the Shiite armed group said.