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Lebanon

Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah and Lebanon (April 13-27, 2026)

On April 16, 2026, America announced a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. On April 22, 2026, the ceasefire was extended for an additional three weeks; Until the ceasefire, the IDF attacked hundreds of Hezbollah terrorist targets in south Lebanon from the air, eliminated hundreds of commanders and operatives, and continued establishing a forward defense zone in south Lebanon. After the ceasefire went into effect, IDF forces destroyed terrorist infrastructure and assets, eliminated operatives within the forward defense zone (the Yellow Line) and attacked infrastructure and operatives in response to Hezbollah violations. Four IDF soldiers were killed in the fighting, three of them after the ceasefire; Since the beginning of the ceasefire, Hezbollah issued 23 claims of responsibility for attacking IDF forces in south Lebanon and communities in northern Israel in response to alleged Israeli "violations." UAVs were used in most of the attacks. Hezbollah secretary general declared that the organization would continue its "defensive resistance"; The ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon to the United States held two direct meetings, one of them at the White House. Lebanon's president and senior government officials defended the decision to open direct negotiations with Israel, while Hezbollah secretary general and other senior figures strongly opposed, and accused the government of allowing the "aggression"; Security forces in Syria arrested a Hezbollah terrorist cell and prevented rockets from being fired at Israeli territory from south Syria; Lebanese authorities reported that at least 2,509 people had been killed since the beginning of the hostilities on March 2, 2026 and more than 121,000 people were still in displacement centers. 
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Themes and Motifs in the Rhetoric of Na’im Qassem, Hezbollah Secretary General

Na'im Qassem was appointed secretary general of Hezbollah on October 29, 2024, when the organization was challenged by the elimination of the previous secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, and much of the senior leadership, and the deaths and wounding of thousands of commanders and operatives in the hostilities against Israel; Since his appointment, on more than fifty occasions he has addressed Hezbollah's situation in speeches, declarations and open letters dealing with the struggle of the "resistance" against Israel and the complex relations between the organization and the institutions of the Lebanese state, especially the government decisions it; The rhetoric of Qassem's first speeches was defensive and intended primarily to underscore that the organization was recovering and rehabilitating itself after the blows it received and that it played a vital role in defending Lebanon. In the absence of tangible achievements and amid growing internal criticism, he established the narrative that the organization's survival was a victory. He also promoted a narrative of patience intended to justify Hezbollah's lack of offensive action despite Israeli "aggression"; Hezbollah's entry into the war in support of Iran on March 2, 2026 provided Qassem with an opportunity to justify ending the narrative of "patience," emphasize the connection with Iran and escalate his rhetoric against the Lebanese leadership because of the direct negotiations with Israel. However, after the ceasefire on April 16, 2026, he promoted claims of victory to send "moderate" messages about willingness for dialogue with the Lebanese government to distance it from the United States and Israel and to change its attitude toward the "resistance"; In ITIC assessment, the development of Qassem's rhetoric from defensive to militant reflects the organization's approach to Israel, apparently inspired or dictated by Iran, and corresponds to the complex situations and challenges he has faced since he became secretary general. However, even after he escalated his rhetoric against the Lebanese government and his sharp criticism of it, Qassem restrained himself to avoid an increase in the organization's internal isolation. Hezbollah's entry into the hostilities against Israel on March 2, 2026, under instructions from its Iranian patron, was accompanied by a sharpening of Qassem's rhetoric, focusing on his absolute opposition to any political arrangement with Israel which would affect the future of the organization.
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The Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Agreement: Reactions and Insights

On April 16, 2026, the United States announced a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon to advance direct bilateral talks for a peace agreement. The American administration said in a statement that Israel would retain its right to self-defense, but the United States "prohibited" Israel from attacking in Lebanon; IDF forces remained in south Lebanon and eliminated terrorists who posed a threat. Two IDF soldiers were killed in two incidents after the start of the ceasefire; and reiterated its usual demands: an end to the "aggression," the withdrawal of IDF forces to the border, the release of Lebanese held in Israel, the return of the displaced and the reconstruction of the country. Hezbollah claimed that Iranian pressure helped achieve the ceasefire and warned President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam not to continue direct negotiations with Israel; Lebanese President Aoun claimed the ceasefire showed that Lebanon would determine its own fate and ignored Iran when he thanked the countries that helped stop the fighting. Parliament Speaker Berri reiterated Iranian assistance in achieving the ceasefire and his opposition to direct negotiations; Thousands of displaced civilians returned to south Lebanon despite warnings from the IDF and the Lebanese army, while residents of the Dahiyeh al-Janoubia admitted they were still afraid to return to their homes for fear of renewed fighting; In ITIC assessment, Hezbollah will continue to represent the ceasefire as a Hezbollah-Iran achievement while attempting to challenge IDF forces maintaining the agreement to be able to accuse Israel of "violating the agreement." At the same time, Hezbollah can be expected to escalate internal criticism against the Lebanese leadership, which will raise the tension in Lebanon between Hezbollah's supporters and opponents. The Lebanese government will try to use the momentum to advance direct talks with Israel and implement the state’s monopoly on weapons, especially applying its sovereignty in south Lebanon to convince the United States to pressure Israel to withdraw to the border.
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Spotlight on Iran and the Shiite Axis (March 30—April 15, 2026)

Qods Force commander Esmail Qaani praised the involvement of the “Resistance Axis” in the campaign alongside Iran, noting that they waged a “heroic war”; Until the ceasefire in Iran on April 8, 2026, the Houthis claimed responsibility for four attacks against Israel using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. It was reported that three ballistic missiles were either intercepted or fell in open areas, and one drone was intercepted; The pro-Iranian militias in Iraq continued their attacks using rockets, missiles, and drones against US bases and facilities in Iraq, the Gulf states, and Jordan until the ceasefire. The militias announced that at least eighty commanders and operatives were killed in strikes attributed to the United States against Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) bases in Iraq during the campaign; Senior Iranian officials strongly condemned the IDF strikes in Lebanon following the ceasefire between Iran and the United States, claiming they violated the understandings reached with the United States. The IRGC and “Resistance Axis” militias warned that continued strikes would lead to a harsh response on their part; The Supreme Leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, sent a message to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, emphasizing Iran’s support for the “resistance against the Zionist and American enemy.” The Iranian Supreme Leader’s advisor warned the Lebanese Prime Minister that ignoring the role of the “resistance” would expose Lebanon to “irreversible security risks”.
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Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (March 30 – April 14, 2026)

The IDF forces continued operations to locate terrorists and destroy weapons and infrastructure within the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip. Terrorists who violated the ceasefire and planned terrorist attacks were eliminated, among them an al-Jazeera correspondent who belonged to Hamas' military wing and operatives involved in the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack and massacre. Hamas accused Israel of targeting police checkpoints and security forces; A Hamas delegation held meetings in Cairo with the mediators, the Palestinian terrorist organizations and the Board of Peace high commissioner, Nikolay Mladenov. Hamas opposed beginning disarmament before Israel met all its commitments in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. Ahead of the talks in Egypt, Hamas held meetings in Turkey with President Erdogan and other officials; A dispute arose between Hamas and commissioner Mladenov over the number of aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip. The Hamas administration continues spreading propaganda claiming humanitarian distress; Hamas' security forces and armed militias receiving Israeli support clashed, and there were reports of clashes between operatives of militias opposed to Hamas; The organizers of the Global Resilience Flotilla announced the departure of a new international flotilla from the Port of Barcelona to the Gaza Strip; Incidents of Jewish terrorism against Palestinians in Judea and Samaria continue. A Palestinian was killed in clashes near an illegal outpost; The Palestinian Authority leadership welcomed the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, adding that any regional arrangement had to include the Palestinian issue.
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Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah and Lebanon (March 29 – April 13, 2026)

The IDF forces continued military activity in Lebanon from the air and on the ground, eliminating terrorist commanders and operatives in Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations from the air, including the commander of Hezbollah's southern front. Six IDF soldiers were killed; During the past two weeks Hezbollah issued more than 660 claims of responsibility for attacking IDF forces in south Lebanon and civilian, military and security targets in Israel with rockets, missiles and UAVs. Hezbollah also claimed having launched a cruise missile at an Israeli navy vessel; it reportedly hit a British destroyer; Hezbollah secretary general claimed the capabilities of the "resistance" had surprised Israel, adding that they would continue fighting and would not return to the status quo ante of the current hostilities; Israel and Lebanon agreed to direct talks which will begin with a meeting of the ambassadors of the two countries in the United States under American oversight. Officials in the Lebanese administration demanded a ceasefire before the start of the formal negotiations; The Lebanese government's decision to implement the state's monopoly on weapons throughout Beirut and the announcement of direct negotiations with Israel exacerbated the tension with Hezbollah. The organization opposed talks with Israel and accused the government of acting against the "resistance" instead of fighting alongside it; Iran's leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said the Islamic Republic would continue to support the "resistance," and his senior advisor warned the Lebanese government of "irreversible dangers" if it did not recognize Hezbollah's role; According to the Lebanese ministry of health, more than 2,000 people have been killed since the beginning of the hostilities on March 2, 2026, and more than one million people have been displaced; Syrian authorities announced that they had arrested a Hezbollah-affiliated cell which was planning to attack a rabbi in Damascus.
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