Lebanon
What the region's press reported about Lebanon, who holds its top offices, and MEF's latest analysis.
As of October 17, 2026, 8:38 a.m. ET. Readout items through the capture of October 17, 2026. Officeholders from the Government Graph file of October 6, 2026. MEF articles through October 13, 2026.
In the Region's Press
"Israel" kills southern farmers
Al-Akhbar reported the olive harvest in southern Lebanon began with 3 farmers killed in Yater, Frun and Ain Ebel amid Israeli fire and war remnants.
Home Front Command: important update for the coming hours
Srugim reported the Home Front Command warned Air Force strikes in Lebanon were expected in the coming hours and loud explosions could be heard across the Galilee.
Countries: Lebanon
Rubio pressures Beirut to prevent handing over explosives seized from Hezbollah and calls for military coordination with Israel
Al-Quds quoted Senator Marco Rubio urging Beirut not to return explosives seized from Hezbollah and calling for direct military coordination with Israel.
Countries: Lebanon, Israel, United States
Khatibzadeh: Doubts about the usefulness of negotiations
Al-Akhbar quoted Iranian deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh expressing doubts about the usefulness of the ongoing negotiations in Beirut.
Report: Iran ordered Hezbollah to prepare for imminent war
Israel Hayom reported Lebanese security sources told Erem News Tehran ordered Hezbollah to raise readiness and prepare for imminent regional fighting.
Survey: 66% of Shiites in Lebanon support transferring Hezbollah's weapons to the state
Davar reported that a survey found 66% of Shiites in Lebanon favor handing the weapons of "Hezbollah" to the state, and confidence dropped to 59.5%.
Countries: Lebanon
Katz: We eliminated Nasrallah, we will also eliminate Naeem Qassem
Srugim quoted Defense Minister Israel Katz as warning that if Hezbollah joins Iran in an attack it will be struck severely and lose additional territory.
Netanyahu on IDF Radio: Over the next two years we will eliminate Hamas once and for all, we will eliminate Hezbollah once and for all, we will topple Iran
Arutz 7 quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying, "Over the next two years we will eliminate Hamas, eliminate Hezbollah, and topple Iran"
Countries: Iran, Lebanon, Israel, Palestinian Authority and Gaza
Foiling the smuggling of tons of explosives to Lebanon: Implications of the shift in Hezbollah's tactics
Al-Quds reported security sources foiled attempts to smuggle tons of explosives into Lebanon and linked the seizure to shifts in Hezbollah's tactics.
Countries: Lebanon
Hezbollah rebuilds its forces and upgrades its drone array: reports in Lebanon - and the Israeli threat of a siege
N12 reported that Hezbollah has extended drone range and equipped drones with heavy charges while Israel warned of a possible siege if Hezbollah joins hostilities.
Six injured in Israeli airstrike targeting a vehicle northeast of Lebanon
Al-Quds reported Lebanon's health ministry said 6 people were injured in an Israeli drone strike targeting a vehicle northeast of the Lebanese border town Hosh al-Sayyed Ali.
How will the European security and military mission operate?
Al-Akhbar reported EU foreign ministers will meet in Luxembourg next Monday to approve a civilian and military mission to train Lebanon's army and internal security forces.
Countries: Lebanon
The European Union Supports Extending the Mandate of 'UNIFIL' and Plans a Training Mission for the Lebanese Army
Al-Quds (Jerusalem) reported that the European Union backed extending the UNIFIL mandate and announced a new training mission to bolster Lebanese Army capabilities.
Countries: Lebanon
Pressure on Lebanon to Curb Funding of "حزب الله"
Asharq Al-Awsat reported increasing U.S. and European pressure on Lebanon to curb funding for "حزب الله" and its affiliated institutions.
Countries: Lebanon, United States
Iranian funds to "Hezbollah" despite obstacles.. and sanctions
Asharq Al-Awsat reported that sources said Iran continues sending funds to "Hezbollah" despite sanctions and growing obstacles to transfers.
In southern Lebanon, a UN peacekeeping position in an area occupied by Israel was fired upon
Anadolu reported that UNIFIL said unidentified shooters fired small arms at its position near Kefer Shuba in southern Lebanon in an area under Israeli control.
Iran transferred hundreds of millions of dollars to Hezbollah, and this is the commission it paid
Israel Hayom reported that Reuters said Iran transferred hundreds of millions of dollars last month to Hezbollah to aid displaced families, with intermediaries taking a 20% commission.
The skies were breached, professionals acknowledged: Pilots from countries like Lebanon, Syria and Iran landed in Israel
N12 reported that closed-committee data showed more than 1,200 aircrew from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel have landed in the country.
The Israeli army carried out an attack with explosives on a school in southern Lebanon
Anadolu reported that Israeli forces used explosives against a school in Hula near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, the outlet said.
Hezbollah and Washington: direct negotiations remain distant
Al-Akhbar reported that recent public and secret US signals indicate Washington's interest in opening a direct channel with Hezbollah remains distant.
Countries: Lebanon, United States
Lebanon in Israeli calculations: an electoral blow or an open war?
Al-Akhbar argued that rising tensions on the Lebanon front intersect with Israeli election calculations, risking either an electoral blow or an uncontrolled war.
Iran, if US military attacks resume, prepares for a broader and more powerful response / Senior commanders are reviewing plans to expand the range of potential targets including countries that support US military operations and possibly areas outside the Middle East / Tehran has ordered its allied groups in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq to be ready to support Iran
Entekhab reported that informed sources say Iran is preparing a broader, more powerful response if US military attacks resume, while keeping diplomatic channels open.
Countries: Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, United States
The meetings sponsored by Ankara between the Authority of Sharia and Hezbollah continue and are "more smooth" | Turkey in Lebanon: growing influence that does not provoke Riyadh
Al-Akhbar reported that Ankara has hosted talks that continue to bring the Authority of Sharia and Hezbollah together and were described as "more smooth".
Countries: Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Turkey
DMM denies claim that "Syrian government officials and Hezbollah leaders met in Turkey"
Hurriyet reported that the DMM within Turkey's Presidential Communications office said allegations that Syrian officials and Hezbollah figures met in Turkey under MİT auspices are unfounded.
US Treasury Secretary to Lebanon: Act against Iran and Hezbollah's financing networks
Arutz 7 reported that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Lebanon's prime minister and finance minister and urged action against Iran and Hezbollah financing networks.
Countries: Iran, Lebanon, United States
UN: Israel violated Lebanese airspace 143 times
Hurriyet reported the United Nations said Israel violated Lebanese airspace 143 times with drones, planes and helicopters.
The Lebanese army dismantles an Israeli spying network in Wadi Zabkin amid field escalation
Al-Quds reported the Lebanese army found and dismantled an Israeli spying device in Wadi Zabkin amid nearby artillery fire and field escalation.
New criticism of Aoun and understanding for any popular movement against the government | Qassem: We will launch our plan for sheltering and reconstruction
Al-Akhbar reported that Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said the party will soon unveil a plan to shelter and reconstruct displaced people.
Countries: Lebanon
Defense establishment assessment: Hezbollah may try to heat up the sector in the near term
N12 reported that the defense establishment warned "Hezbollah" could seek to increase hostilities soon, the IDF is completing positions inside Lebanon and has approved offensive contingency plans.
IDF: We struck a Hezbollah weapons depot in southern Lebanon
Davar reported that the IDF said it had hit a Hezbollah munitions storage site in southern Lebanon, the military said.
Israeli artillery and drone attack on southern Lebanon
Al-Ahram reported that Israeli forces carried out artillery strikes and a drone attack targeting multiple towns and areas in southern Lebanon.
Israeli escalation in southern Lebanon: phosphorus bombing and destruction of educational and service facilities
Al-Quds (Jerusalem) reported that southern Lebanon experienced an intensification of Israeli strikes that used phosphorus munitions and damaged a national school and utility infrastructure, causing power outages in Hasbaya.
Report: Hezbollah moved precision missiles to villages west of the 'yellow line'
N12 reported that Hezbollah relocated precision missiles to villages west of the 'yellow line' after IDF took control of strategic areas.
Salam to Guterres: Lebanon needs an international force after "UNIFIL" mission ends
Asharq Al-Awsat reported Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told UN Secretary General Guterres Lebanon needs an international force after the UNIFIL mission ends.
Countries: Lebanon
The enemy army admits: disarming Hezbollah a long-term "هدف أعلى"
Al-Akhbar reported that the Israeli chief of staff outlined a long-term Israeli objective to disarm Hezbollah in Lebanon.
US embassies issue security warning for the Middle East
Hurriyet reported that embassies representing the United States in several regional states including Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait and Bahrain warned American citizens "could escalate unexpectedly".
Countries: Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, United States
Beirut pushes to extend "UNIFIL"
Asharq Al-Awsat reported Lebanon and France are intensifying diplomatic efforts to secure an extension of UNIFIL's mandate before it expires at year end.
Countries: Lebanon
Israel: We will not accept any blue flag other than our flag in southern Lebanon
Al-Akhbar reported Israeli statements asserting they will not accept any "blue flag" presence other than their own in southern Lebanon.
The government postpones discussion of a proposal for a European mission
Al-Akhbar reported that the government postponed discussion of a proposal to establish a European civilian and military mission in Lebanon.
Countries: Lebanon
Paris conference faces a test from the South | The security zone: a bargaining chip or a new Israeli doctrine?
Al-Akhbar reported that the Paris conference on Lebanon's south faces a test over whether a strengthened state presence ensures Israeli withdrawal.
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