Primers

A Primer on Lebanon—History, Palestine and Resistance to Israeli Violence

The Israeli bombardment of Lebanon between September and November 2024 was the deadliest violence in the country since the civil war.

Lara Deeb, Maya Mikdashi, Tsolin Nalbantian, Nadya Sbaiti • 38 min read

MER Article

The End of the Axis of Resistance?

Analysts have been quick to view the swift collapse of Bashar al-Asad’s regime in Syria as a fatal and final blow to the so-called Axis of Resistance: the network of Iranian proxies spanning from Lebanon to Yemen. But such premature post-mortems underestimate what the Axis of Resistance achieved, misrepresent

Kevin Schwartz • 4 min read

MER Article

Listening to the Camps' Walls—Lebanon Since October 7

There has been no shortage of worry in Lebanon following the Hamas attacks on October 7 and the ensuing Israeli declaration of all-out war on Gaza. Israel has made it clear that war with Hezbollah will lead to devastating consequences for the whole of Lebanon. “What we’re doing in

Rami Rmeileh, Maziyar Ghiabi • 7 min read

Current Analysis

Political Assassinations and the Revolutionary Impasse in Lebanon and Iraq

In the midst of deepening political and economic crises, the recent assassinations of two intellectuals—Hisham al-Hashimi in Iraq and Lokman Slim in Lebanon—have shaken the popular protest movements that are pushing for fundamental change in both countries. Haugbolle and Andersen consider the conseq

Sune Haugbolle, Henrik Andersen • 14 min read

Current Analysis

Fissures in Hizballah's Edifice of Control

On August 15, Beirut awoke to the news that more than 20 alleged members of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) had been captured by a group calling itself “the military wing of the al-Miqdad family.” The group had sent footage to the al-Mayadin television network, which was quickly picked up by other local

Lara Deeb, Mona Harb • 12 min read

Current Analysis

Drones Over Israel

Two stories regarding Israel and drones appeared last week, illustrating both the dangerous new world of drone proliferation and Israel’s major role in making that possible.

Steve Niva • 3 min read

MER Article

Hizballah in the Sights

Thanassis Cambanis, A Privilege to Die: Inside Hezbollah’s Legions and Their Endless War Against Israel (Free Press, 2010).

Lara Deeb • 20 min read

Current Analysis

Lebanon Against Itself (Again)

The year 2011 has brought Lebanon’s political tug of war into the streets again, with thousands of protesters burning tires and blocking roads over the apparent failure of their candidate to secure the office of prime minister. But months of hype to the contrary, this time the raucous demonstrations

Marc J. Sirois • 12 min read

Current Analysis

The Long, Steep Fall of the Lebanon Tribunal

After five long years, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is expected to hand down its indictments at long last. By the end of 2010, or perhaps the beginning of 2011, the Tribunal will accuse a number of individuals of direct involvement in the murders of former Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri and seve

Heiko Wimmen • 15 min read

Current Analysis

Hizballah's Domestic Growing Pains

The term dahiya (suburb) is a staple of Lebanese political discourse, practically shorthand for Hizballah, the Shi‘i Islamist party seated in its infamous headquarters just south of Beirut. Before the civil war, the suburb, or more precisely suburbs, consisted of several small towns surrounded by or

Marlin Dick • 17 min read

MER Article

Drawing the Wrong Lessons from Israel's 2006 War

For many military critics of COIN, the future of war is not to be found in the steamy jungles of Vietnam but rather on the rocky hillsides of southern Lebanon, where Israel was fought to a standstill by the guerrilla army of Hizballah in the summer of 2006. Israel possesses one of the world’s most p

Steve Niva • 11 min read

Current Analysis

Democracy, Lebanese-Style

Just as reports from Lebanon were indicating that a cabinet would be finalized within days, the notoriously fickle Druze leader Walid Jumblatt announced, on August 2, that his Progressive Socialist Party would withdraw from the governing coalition. Jumblatt criticized his coalition partners in the M

Melani Cammett • 15 min read