Lebanon

Policy Analysis on Lebanon

Hezbollah Losing Its Luster Under Soleimani

Many Hezbollah fighters believe their Iranian supervisor in Syria views them as easily replaceable Arab cannon fodder, and the resultant tension is generating disillusionment about Tehran's claims of pan-Shiite unity.

Feb 22, 2017

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Hanin Ghaddar

Fikra Forum

Will the Lebanese President Be Assad's New Friend in Town?

Following accusations that Syria had assassinated former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Syrian forces withdrew from Lebanon in 2005 under UN Security Council resolution 1559. In a speech to parliament announcing the withdrawal, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that “Syria’s withdrawal from Lebanon does not mean an end to Syria’s

Feb 7, 2017

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Fadi al-Dahouk

Brief Analysis

The Latest Ceasefire Will Not Change Hezbollah's Role in Syria

Iran and Russia may find a way to push past their strategic differences and make the ceasefire work, but it will be much more difficult to forge agreements on Syria's other intractable issues at the upcoming peace conference.

Jan 6, 2017

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Hanin Ghaddar

Brief Analysis

What's at Stake for Lebanon's New Government?

The heavy presence of pro-Iranian and pro-Syrian ministers is troubling, but Hariri and his allies can still preserve Lebanon's sovereignty by pushing for a balanced electoral law and a timely parliamentary ballot.

Dec 21, 2016

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Hanin Ghaddar

Maps & Graphics

In-Depth Reports

The Lines That Bind: 100 Years of Sykes-Picot

A century after diplomats Mark Sykes of Britain and François Georges-Picot of France drew up a secret agreement to divide the Ottoman lands of the Middle East, a look at the modern map indicates the resulting states have largely stood the test of time -- at least thus far. Most

Dec 19, 2016

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Andrew J. Tabler

Brief Analysis

Hezbollah's 'Diplomats' Go Operational

Officials in Washington and abroad should pay close attention to the group's self-styled 'ambassadors,' who are increasingly being implicated in criminal and terrorist activities around the world.

Dec 2, 2016

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

Iran May Be Using Iraq and Syria as a Bridge to Lebanon

While liberating territory from the Islamic State is vital, the consequences of ceding portions of Iraq and Syria to de facto Iranian control could be just as dire as leaving them in jihadist hands.

Nov 23, 2016

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Hanin Ghaddar

Brief Analysis

A New President for Lebanon

Although filling the long-vacant office could help pull the country out of its political stagnation, Hezbollah and Iran will continue undermining Lebanese state institutions unless the situation next door in Syria changes significantly.

Oct 31, 2016

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David Schenker

Articles & Testimony

Hezbollah's Criminal Networks: Useful Idiots, Henchmen, and Organized Criminal Facilitators

Hezbollah's broad web of shady 'facilitators' provide an attractive means of quickly moving and laundering massive amounts of illicit money, but they also reveal the supposed 'resistance' group as the criminal enterprise it has become.

Oct 25, 2016

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

Economic Alternatives Could Help Split Shiites From Hezbollah

According to young Shiite interviewees, two incentives could avert an uncertain journey to the Syrian battlefield: jobs and loans.

Oct 18, 2016

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Hanin Ghaddar

Brief Analysis

Lebanon's Embattled Sunnis Need Support

Absent effective support from the United States and Saudi Arabia, Lebanon's traditionally pro-Western but increasingly fractured Sunni bloc stands little chance of preventing further gains by the Hezbollah-Syria-Iran axis.

Oct 13, 2016

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David Schenker

Articles & Testimony

Hezbollah's Women Aren't Happy

As their sons and 'temporary husbands' are ripped from them to fight a proxy war in Syria, grieving mothers and brides are compensated with empty promises, poverty, and threats, heightening communal frustrations to the point of explosion.

Oct 12, 2016

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Hanin Ghaddar

Brief Analysis

Iran's 'Useful Syria' Is Practically Complete

Helping the Assad regime establish full control in Damascus is only one part of Iran's plan to create a regional Shiite crescent, and any ceasefire plan that furthers such goals could spark wider sectarian conflict.

Sep 8, 2016

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Hanin Ghaddar

Articles & Testimony

Hezbollah’s Pivot Toward the Gulf

While Hezbollah's next war with Israel seems inevitable in the long term, recent events and rhetoric suggest that the group and its Iranian patron will focus on targeting Saudi interests in the meantime.

Aug 22, 2016

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Matthew Levitt

Video

Brief Analysis

A Transformative Experience: Understanding Hezbollah's Involvement in Syria

How has Hezbollah avoided a catastrophic quagmire in Syria and even exploited its campaign there to enhance its military capabilities? Two experts chart the group's evolution and its future threats to Lebanon, Israel, and regional order.

Aug 15, 2016

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Nadav Pollak
Hanin Ghaddar

Iran and Hezbollah Remain Hyperactive in Latin America

Although Hezbollah and its affiliates are highly unlikely to attack the Rio Olympics, the group's troubling activities in Brazil and neighboring countries should not be ignored.

Aug 11, 2016

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Matthew Levitt

Articles & Testimony

Don't Forget, or Deny, Hezbollah's Brutal Crimes

The anniversary of two deadly attacks is a sobering reminder that the group continues to engage in terrorist plots and criminal fundraising around the world while unabashedly denying the mountains of evidence against it.

Jul 20, 2016

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Matthew Levitt

A Proxy for Iran

The Cipher Brief sat down with Matt Levitt, former deputy assistant secretary for intelligence and analysis at the Treasury Department, to discuss Hezbollah's roles in Lebanon and Syria and as a proxy for Iran. According to Levitt, despite losses in Syria, Hezbollah remains a threat to Israeli security and U.S

Jul 14, 2016

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

Iran's Support for Terrorism Under the JCPOA

The Islamic Republic's terror sponsorship has hardly abated since the nuclear deal was reached, giving the Obama administration another opportunity to reassess these menacing behaviors and hold Tehran accountable.

Jul 8, 2016

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

Targeting Hezbollah's Home-Front Finances

A law passed in late 2015, known as HIFPA, has successfully intensified pressure against the Lebanon-based militant group.

Jul 5, 2016

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David Schenker
Katherine Bauer

Supported by the

Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

The Washington Institute's Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics focuses on social, political, and economic developments in the Arab world, with an emphasis on the Arab countries of the Levant.

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Matthew Levitt

Matthew Levitt is the Fromer-Wexler Senior Fellow and director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at The Washington Institute.

Hanin Ghaddar

Hanin Ghaddar is the Friedmann Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute's Rubin Family Arab Politics Program, where she focuses on Shia politics throughout the Levant.

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Lebanon

Policy Analysis on Lebanon

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Policy Analysis on Lebanon

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