1. Home
  2. Countries
  3. Lebanon

Lebanon

Spotlight on Syria (March 12 – 19, 2025)

IDF forces continued targeted raids in the Golan Heights buffer zone and attacked a large number of military sites in southern Syria and a structure belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Damascus. Syria and several other Arab states condemned the attacks and accused Israel of "escalation."; Syrian security forces exchanged fire with armed forces affiliated with Hezbollah after three security personnel were kidnapped and murdered on the Lebanese side of the border; there were at least 20 fatalities. Hezbollah denied involvement; Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abu Muhammad al-Julani) signed a declaration for an interim constitution to cover the transition period. According to the constitution, Islamic law will be the core of legislation and calls for separatism and foreign intervention will be considered criminal offenses. Al-Sharaa also established a national security council.
Read more...

Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah and Lebanon (March 10-17, 2025)

IDF forces continued operations to counteract Hezbollah's military buildup and presence in south Lebanon, contrary to the ceasefire agreement. A commander of the air defense system of a regional unit within the organization was eliminated, and Hezbollah Radwan Force facilities in south Lebanon were targeted; Lebanese government officials and Hezbollah figures called for exerting international pressure on Israel to withdraw from the five sites in Lebanon where the IDF remains stationed; The Lebanese government dismissed the possibility that the discussions held by the ceasefire oversight committee could potentially lead to normalization of relations between Israel and Lebanon; There were clashes with casualties on the Syria-Lebanon border. The new Syrian government accused Hezbollah of attacking its soldiers; Hezbollah denied the accusations; Criticism in Lebanon persists over the failure to disarm Hezbollah; The Lebanese security forces appointed a new army commander and a new director for the General Security Directorate.
Read more...

Spotlight on Terrorism, February 2025

During February 2025 fighting continued in Judea and Samaria. In the Gaza Strip, the ceasefire which began on January 19, 2025, continued. The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah also continued. The Houthis and the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq did not attack Israel. Israel, Judea and Samaria: Palestinians carried out four terrorist attacks, killing three Israelis; there were five attacks in January. Israeli security forces continued counterterrorism operations throughout Judea and Samaria, continuing their extensive operation in northern Samaria. Terrorist operatives and commanders of terrorist organizations were eliminated in exchanges of fire and aerial strikes.  The Gaza Strip: The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continued. IDF forces attacked suspicious Gazans who approached them in various areas of the Strip. Three rockets launched from the Gaza Strip did not reach Israeli territory.  Lebanon: IDF forces withdrew from south Lebanon on February 18, 2025, except for five strategic points near the border. The IDF continued actions against Hezbollah’s attempts to violate the November 27, 2024 ceasefire understandings and against the organization’s efforts to rebuild itself. Terrorist operatives were eliminated and military facilities were attacked. A senior Hamas operative was eliminated and other terrorist organizations operating in Lebanon announced operatives had been killed in IDF strikes. The Shi’ite militias: Since January 19, 2025, when the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip went into effect, the Houthis have not attacked Israel or Israeli shipping. The pro-Iranian militias in Iraq have not claimed responsibility for attacking Israel since November 24, 2024, and negotiations between the Iraqi government and the militias regarding their disarmament continued.
Read more...

Hamas’ strategy to destroy Israel: from theory into practice, as seen in captured documents

The idea that the very existence of the State of Israel ("the Zionist entity") is illegal and immoral has been ingrained in Hamas' worldview since its founding. However, for Hamas, aware of its military and political limitations, the issue of "the destruction of Israel" remained a vision for the future, while the movement focused on the narrative that "not losing is a victory."; After the Saif al-Quds campaign (Operation Guardian of the Walls) in May 2021, Hamas' approach began to shift, as the movement came to believe that the destruction of Israel had become a goal that could actually be achieved. The change was reflected in a series of public statements by Hamas leaders, although they could have been perceived on the Israeli side (and probably were) as boasts; Hamas documents taken from Gaza during the Gaza Strip War confirm what Hamas officials had publicly stated and indicate that the plan to eliminate the State of Israel had been regarded in recent years, especially after Operation Guardian of the Walls, by the Hamas leadership, especially Yahya al-Sinwar (as well as by its allies, Iran and Hezbollah), as executable and highly feasible in the near future. Those were not just empty words, they were backed by the development of practical plans and ongoing coordination between the elements of the "resistance axis." They felt Israel had become vulnerable while Hamas and other 'resistance' forces had grown stronger. The strategic shift by Hamas was not understood at all by Israel; In ITIC assessment, the severe blow suffered by Hamas and most elements of the "resistance axis" will probably push back the play to destroy Israel, returning it to the level of a vision for the future. In the long run, if Hamas recovers and receives support from Iran, it is not improbable that the movement could once again regard destroying Israel as a practical plan.
Read more...

Spotlight on Syria (March 5 – 12 , 2025)

IDF forces continued targeted raids in the buffer zone in the Golan Heights and the Yarmouk Basin, and attacked military sites in southern Syria and the Damascus area from the air. The foreign ministers of Syria’s neighboring countries condemned "Israel's aggression."; Clashes between Syrian regime forces and pro-Assad forces in Syria’s coastal provinces led to atrocities carried out by supporters of the current regime against the Alawite population. Reports indicate at least 1,200 civilian casualties. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abu Muhammad al-Julani) appointed a committee to investigate and promised to punish those responsible. He also rejected Defense Minister Katz’s statement calling him a "jihadist terrorist." Iran and Hezbollah denied involvement in the events; Syrian President al-Sharaa and the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces signed an agreement to integrate Kurdish forces into state institutions. The implementation of the agreement is expected to take two years; Representatives of the Syrian government and Druze community leaders signed a memorandum of understanding to regulate the administrative and security situation in al-Suwayda.
Read more...

Spotlight on Iran and the Shiite Axis (March 5-12, 2025)

The Iranian foreign minister stressed the right of the Palestinians to continue their “resistance” against Israel, criticized President Trump’s proposal to transfer Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, and called for international sanctions on Israel. He also reiterated Iran’s opposition to the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; Iranian media reported extensively on the clashes between the Syrian regime and its opponents in the Alawite coastal strip. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson denied reports of Iranian involvement in the incidents; Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon claimed that Israel would eventually be forced to withdraw from the five points where it remains in Lebanese territory; The Houthis announced the resumption of their naval operations against “Israeli” vessels after the expiration of the ultimatum set by the movement’s leader for reopening the border crossings into the Gaza Strip and bringing in humanitarian aid; Reports that the United States is increasing pressure on the Iraqi government to bring about the release of Israeli hostage Elizabeth Tsurkov.
Read more...

Previous years bulletins

2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005