What the intensifying US-Iran proxy war means for crisis-wracked Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen

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Updated 15 February 2024
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What the intensifying US-Iran proxy war means for crisis-wracked Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen

  • Analysts say the ailing regional economies can ill-afford a conflict resulting from Gaza escalation
  • Violence on Lebanon-Israel border could spread to vulnerable Arab states under Iran’s ‘unity of arenas’ strategy

LONDON: Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip has spilled over into neighboring countries and sent shockwaves across the wider region, transforming Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen into battlefields in an escalating proxy war between the US and Iran.

This mounting instability has wrought havoc on the economies of the region, many of which were already grappling with deep recessions, spiraling inflation, high unemployment and political instability, leaving them ill-equipped to withstand a major conflict.

The International Monetary Fund revised down regional growth projections for 2024 by 0.5 percent in October following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that saw 1,200 killed and 240 taken hostage, sparking the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Regional gross domestic product is forecast to grow by a mere 2.9 percent this year — a scant improvement on the modest 2 percent growth seen in 2023.

With their economies stagnant, these nations could easily implode if the conflict escalates further.




Syrian fighters ride in a convoy during a military drill by the Turkish-backed “Suleiman Shah Division” in the opposition-held Afrin region of northern Syria. (AFP/File)

“Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen are all facing existing crises of one sort or another and can ill-afford to see economic investors flee due to the high risks of war,” Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, told Arab News.

Since launching its military campaign in Gaza, Israel has simultaneously mounted a series of strikes against targets in Syria and Lebanon — many of them targeting senior members of Hamas and its fellow Iranian proxy Hezbollah.

The most recent of these attacks took place in January, when an Israeli strike on the Syrian capital Damascus hit a residential building reportedly used by members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“Syria has become a battleground for great power rivalries, both regional and international,” Joshua Landis, director of both the Center for Middle East Studies and the Farzaneh Family Center for Iranian and Arabian Gulf Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told Arab News.

The increased drumbeat of Israeli strikes on Syrian military bases, weapons depots and airports, as well as the increasing number of targeted killings of leading Iranian officials, “means more death, destruction and instability,” he said.

Landis believes the escalating regional conflagration, with Israel and the US in one corner and Iran’s proxy militias in the other, has “provided cover for many local combatants to increase the pace of their attacks,” thereby compounding Syria’s multiple, overlapping predicaments.

“The Syrian regime has been bombing northwest Syrian militias in an effort to keep them from building effective state institutions in their region,” said Landis, referring to the armed opposition groups that remain in control of Idlib province and parts of Aleppo.

“Turkiye has intensified its assassination campaign against leading YPG (People’s Defense Units) officials in northeast Syria, and local Syrian communities have been up in arms against the oppression and mismanagement of local authorities.

“The Druze continue their demonstrations against the regime in the Jabal Druze, and the Arab tribes continue to militate against the Kurds in northeast Syria.”




An injured man looks at rubble and debris of a destroyed building in the aftermath of Israeli bombardment on Rafah, Gaza Strip. (AFP)

Against this backdrop, the regime of Bashar Assad in Damascus, long propped up by Iran and Hezbollah, has found itself, willingly or unwillingly, caught in the middle of this latest bout of regional turmoil.

Earlier this month, the US launched strikes against 85 targets across seven locations in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for Iran-backed militia attacks on US troops stationed in the region, including a Jan. 27 incident in which three American personnel were killed and 40 wounded at a base in Jordan close to the Syrian border.

And despite stating that “the United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world,” President Joe Biden has vowed that its response “will continue at times and places of our choosing.”

For the Syrian public, this regional escalation spells further misery. “The economic fallout of this violence and instability has been severe,” said Landis. “The economy is frozen. Inflation continues to eat away at the spending power of Syrians, driving them into ever-greater poverty.”

According to UN figures, 90 percent of Syria’s population is grappling with poverty, with 80 percent living below the poverty line.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in December that 16.7 million people across Syria require humanitarian assistance.

However, with multiple conflicts and crises raging across the globe, the humanitarian aid sector faces a funding crisis of its own.

The UN has requested $46 billion in donations for 2024, highlighting that the existing shortfall would leave more than 150 million people without aid.

“The UN Development Programme and World Food Programme are both hollowing out their humanitarian aid programs as the international gaze is diverted to Gaza, Sudan and other hotspots,” said Landis.

And what had initially looked like green shoots of recovery for the Syrian economy were soon buried.

Syria’s tourism sector, “which was a bright spot last year, can only be expected to take a downturn in the shadow of the Gaza war and regional instability,” said Landis.




Armed Yemeni Houthis sit on the back of an armored vehicle during an anti-Israel and anti-US rally in Sanaa. (AFP/File)

Lebanon faces similar challenges. Its border with Israel has been a flashpoint since the Gaza conflict began in October, with sporadic exchanges of fire between the Israel Defense Forces and Lebanese armed groups, including Hezbollah.

Many Lebanese fear that a full-blown conflict even more destructive than the 2006 war could easily break out, with unimaginable consequences for civilians.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned in January that “the possibility of reaching a political settlement with Lebanon is running out, and as a result, we may end up resorting to military action.”

Having been in the throes of a crippling financial crisis since 2019 and trapped in a state of political paralysis, unable to appoint a new president or build a functioning administration, Lebanon is perhaps uniquely vulnerable.

“Lebanon, which is already reeling economically and politically, faces the clearest prospect of a catastrophic military conflict, like in 2006,” said Rahman.

“That’s why there’s a reluctance from Hezbollah for major escalation with Israel in spite of its other inclinations.”

Citing the “high uncertainty” brought about by the Gaza war, the World Bank refrained from offering a forecast for Lebanon’s GDP in 2024.

The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, meanwhile, projected modest growth of 1.7 percent.

Eva J. Koulouriotis, a political analyst specializing in the Middle East, warned that any escalation on the Lebanese-Israeli border into all-out war “will have serious repercussions.”

This “dangerous” development “will increase the likelihood of its expansion to Syria and Iraq, as well as a greater escalation in Yemen under what Iran’s regional arms call the ‘unity of arenas’ strategy,” she told Arab News.

“Politically, in Lebanon, the state of division and disharmony between the political factions will increase and the specter of the Lebanese arena turning into a new civil war will return. This will mean a comprehensive collapse of the economy.”

Koulouriotis believes an escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, coupled with a failure to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, will only fuel the threat posed by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen to commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.




Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment on the village of Khiyam in southern Lebanon. (AFP)

Since Nov. 19, the Houthis have launched more than 20 missile and drone attacks against vessels in these strategic waterways, with the stated aim of pressuring Israel to halt its military campaign in Gaza.

In early February, the US and UK launched a barrage of strikes targeting 36 Houthi positions. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Yemen’s capital Sanaa was among the sites targeted.

Having been locked in its own grinding civil war between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government since 2015, Yemen is already in a state of economic ruin, with sections of its population on the brink of famine.

“War-torn Yemen is already highly dependent on humanitarian aid, and is in the midst of long-running negotiations to bring an end to its eight-year war,” said Rahman, warning that “the current confrontation with the US and UK risks destabilizing that process and disrupting crucial flows of aid and economic redevelopment.”

The US has also launched several attacks against Iran-backed militias operating in Iraq. On Feb. 8, an American drone strike in Baghdad killed a senior commander of Kataib Hezbollah alongside two of his guards.

The Pentagon claimed that the commander was responsible for the fatal Jan. 27 attack on US forces in Jordan.

INNUMBERS

• 2.9% IMF’s GDP growth forecast for the Middle East and North Africa in 2024.

• 90% Proportion of Syria’s population grappling with poverty, according to UN figures.

• 16.7m People across Syria who require humanitarian assistance, according to UN OCHA.

• 1.7% Lebanon’s projected growth in 2024, according to UN DESA.

US military bases in the Middle East have been hit with more than 165 rocket and drone attacks since mid-October.  

Having emerged from decades of conflict and insurgency, Iraq had been showing signs of economic recovery, albeit still heavily reliant on oil exports and a bloated public sector.

Although regional instability is no doubt unwelcome at the very moment things appeared to be getting on track, Rahman believes the latest bout of regional violence offers “a mixed bag” for Iraq.

“In one sense, its oil export-dependent economy benefits from instability and higher prices,” he said. “Its Iran-aligned militias are also able to advance their agenda of pushing the US out of the country.

“On the other hand, Iraq already faces political and economic precarity and risks much in being a major flashpoint, or even frontline, in a regional war that includes Iran, as it tries to rebuild after decades of war.”

Landis, however, is optimistic about the prospects for Syria if the US is pushed out of Iraq. “If America is forced to abandon its bases in Iraq, pressure will mount to evacuate Syria as well,” he said.




Yemenis hold a pro-Palestine rally in Sanaa. (AFP/File)

“Should Damascus return to northeast Syria, possibilities for an economic revitalization will open up.

“It will bring pain to the Kurds, but most Syrians who live under government control will regain oil, gas and electricity. It will help Syria regain control of its lands and resources.”

America has some 2,500 troops stationed in Iraq, 900 in Syria, and around 3,000 in Jordan as part of a US-led coalition that seeks, according to the Pentagon, to prevent the resurgence of the terrorist group Daesh.

Although the region looks increasingly like a battlefield between the US and Iran, Koulouriotis doubts that the region will witness a direct confrontation between the two — something neither side professes to want.

“Despite the current ongoing escalation on various fronts in the region, the two main sides of the conflict in Washington and Tehran are still not interested in going towards a direct and comprehensive confrontation,” she said.


Kurdish fighters leave northern city in Syria as part of deal with central government

Updated 04 April 2025
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Kurdish fighters leave northern city in Syria as part of deal with central government

  • The fighters left the predominantly Kurdish northern neighborhoods of Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh
  • The deal is a boost to an agreement reached last month

ALEPPO, Syria: Scores of US-backed Kurdish fighters left two neighborhoods in the Syrian Arab Republic’s northern city of Aleppo Friday as part of a deal with the central government in Damascus, which is expanding its authority in the country.
The fighters left the predominantly Kurdish northern neighborhoods of Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh, which had been under the control of Kurdish fighters in Aleppo over the past decade.
The deal is a boost to an agreement reached last month between Syria’s interim government and the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast. The deal could eventually lead to the merger of the main US-backed force in Syria into the Syrian army.
The withdrawal of fighters from the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces came a day after dozens of prisoners from both sides were freed in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.
Syria’s state news agency, SANA, reported that government forces were deployed along the road that SDF fighters will use to move between Aleppo and areas east of the Euphrates River, where the Kurdish-led force controls nearly a quarter of Syria.
Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh had been under SDF control since 2015 and remained so even when forces of ousted President Bashar Assad captured Aleppo in late 2016. The two neighborhoods remained under SDF control when forces loyal to current interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa captured the city in November, and days later captured the capital, Damascus, removing Assad from power.
After being marginalized for decades under the rule of the Assad family rule, the deal signed last month promises Syria’s Kurds “constitutional rights,” including using and teaching their language, which were banned for decades.
Hundreds of thousands of Kurds, who were displaced during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, will return to their homes. Thousands of Kurds living in Syria who have been deprived of nationality for decades under Assad will be given the right of citizenship, according to the agreement.
Kurds made up 10 percent of the country’s prewar population of 23 million. Kurdish leaders say they don’t want full autonomy with their own government and parliament. They want decentralization and room to run their day-to day-affairs.


King Abdullah, Bulgarian president co-chair Aqaba Process meetings in Sofia

Updated 04 April 2025
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King Abdullah, Bulgarian president co-chair Aqaba Process meetings in Sofia

  • Initiative aims to bolster cooperation on security, counterterrorism issues
  • King held separate talks with several regional leaders on sidelines of event

LONDON: King Abdullah II of Jordan and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev co-chaired the third round of the Aqaba Process meetings in Sofia on Friday, bringing together international leaders to address pressing security challenges in the Balkans and beyond, the Jordan News Agency reported.

The Aqaba Process Balkans III forum, jointly organized by Jordan and Bulgaria, tackled issues such as regional security, counterterrorism efforts, online radicalization and illegal migration. The participants also explored opportunities for greater international cooperation, including intelligence sharing and strategic partnerships in combating extremism.

Attending the event were heads of state, government officials and security representatives from Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Italy, France, the UK, US and Japan.

Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, King Abdullah’s personal envoy and chief adviser on religious and cultural affairs, was among the attendees, while several international organizations, including the EU, Interpol, Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, were also represented.

On the sidelines of the forum, King Abdullah held meetings with several regional leaders, including Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar, Albanian President Bajram Begaj, Kosovan President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Launched by the king in 2015, the Aqaba Process is designed to enhance coordination between regional and international actors in the fight against terrorism and extremism. It fosters military, security and intelligence cooperation, focusing on counterterrorism strategies and the exchange of expertise.

Previous meetings have been hosted by Jordan, Albania, Brazil, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Rwanda, Singapore, Spain, the US and the UN General Assembly.

Discussions have covered diverse regions such as East Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, West Africa and the Sahel.


It’s not enough for audiences just to feel ‘sad,’ says Oscar-winning director of ‘No Other Land’

Updated 04 April 2025
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It’s not enough for audiences just to feel ‘sad,’ says Oscar-winning director of ‘No Other Land’

  • ‘People need to use their voices to influence their governments and to hold Israel accountable for violating international law,’ Palestinian filmmaker Basel Adra tells Arab News
  • Adra, who addressed the UN in New York this week, says that the Oscar recognition was a moment of pride but has not resulted in any tangible changes for Palestinians

NEW YORK CITY: Basel Adra, the Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary film “No Other Land,” has garnered global attention for his compelling portrayal of the hardships faced by Palestinians in the West Bank, particularly his home region of Masafer Yatta.

The film chronicles the ongoing violence against, and forced displacement of, Palestinians at the hands of Israeli forces and settlers in an area designated a restricted military zone by Israel since the 1980s.

Despite all the accolades for the film over the past year, including the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards last month, Adra’s message remains one of urgency and resistance.

The filmmaker spoke with Arab News in New York about the continuing suffering of the Palestinian people, and underscored the fact that the situation has worsened despite the international recognition of his work.

“No Other Land” has sparked intense emotional responses from audiences worldwide but Adra believes the film should do more than just evoke feelings of sadness, it should inspire action.

“Audiences feel emotionally connected to the people of Masafer Yatta, to the land and to the cause,” he said. “But it’s not enough to just feel sorrow for them. People need to use their voices to influence their governments and to hold Israel accountable for violating international law.”

Adra, who had been invited to New York speak at the UN by the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, continues to call for international pressure on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territory.

During his speech, which followed a screening of his film that received a lengthy standing ovation from a full house, Adra made an impassioned plea: “I wanted the world to know that we live in this land, that we exist, and to see what we face on a daily basis — this brutal occupation.”

His film reveals the harsh realities of Palestinians who face violent evictions, the demolition of their homes and attacks by Israeli settlers, all under the protection of the Israeli military.

After a prolonged legal battle over the expulsion of residents from eight villages in Masafer Yatta, in 2022 the Israeli Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Israeli army and allowed the evictions to proceed.

Adra said that the recognition of the film by the Academy Awards, though a moment of pride, has not resulted in any tangible changes on the ground for Palestinians.

“Even after winning the Oscar, we went back to the same reality,” he lamented. In fact the situation has only gotten worse. While attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank had long been escalating, the situation has reached new heights of violence since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Last week, one of Adra’s co-directors, fellow Palestinian Hamdan Ballal, reported he had been attacked by Israeli settlers for winning the Oscar, and was detained by Israeli police for “hurling rocks,” during which he suffered a beating and “brutality.”

In a somber reflection, Adra acknowledged the growing risks to Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta and reiterated the urgent need for the world to act.

“There’s no time to wait,” he said. “The international community needs to take serious action now. Otherwise, Israel will continue with its aggression.”

Though widely acclaimed, the documentary has sparked mixed reactions from some, particularly regarding the involvement of Yuval Abraham, one of two Israeli co-directors of the film (the other is Rachel Szor), a figure some critics felt represented a form of “normalization” of Israeli policies.

Adra firmly rejected this suggestion and said such criticism makes him “very sad,” adding: “The last thing I want is to normalize the occupation. Everything I do with Yuval is activism, to change this and to end the occupation.”

Despite the challenges, Adra said his bond with his co-director remains strong.

“Now, we are allies and we are activists. We will continue to fight,” he added, affirming their shared mission to end the occupation and the system of apartheid Israel operates in the Palestinian territories.

Looking ahead, Adra said his work continues to be driven by the hope of a better future for his people. He plans to return to Palestine soon, and his message to the Palestinian people remains consistent: “To keep standing strong, not to give up, and to hold on. We have to keep being alive.”

Despite the critical acclaim, Oscar recognition and other awards it has received, “No Other Land” has has found it difficult to secure widespread distribution, particularly in the US.

In a world where the cost of inaction is high, Adra said he will continue to work tirelessly for justice in an attempt to compel audiences and governments around the world to reflect on their role in the ongoing conflict and take responsibility for the lives that are affected.


In Tunisia, snails inch toward replacing red meat as people turn to cheaper protein

Updated 04 April 2025
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In Tunisia, snails inch toward replacing red meat as people turn to cheaper protein

  • Snails have been consumed in Tunisia for more than seven millenia
  • Low in fat and high in iron, calcium and magnesium, snails offer both nutritional value and economic relief

AKOUDA, Tunisia: In fields outside their hometown in central Tunisia, an increasing number of unemployed young men are seeking a new way to make a living, picking snails off of rocks and leaves and collecting them in large plastic bags to take to the local market to be sold.
More and more people, they say, are buying the shelled wanderers as the price of market staples remains high and out of reach for many families.
“They’re profitable, beneficial and quite in demand,” said Karim, a 29-year-old snail seller from the village of Akouda said.
Snails have been consumed in Tunisia for more than seven millenia, according to research published last year in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. In today’s world considered mostly a bistro delicacy, they’re again gaining traction in Tunisia as a practical alternative to red meat — a protein-rich substitute that pairs perfectly with salt, spices, and bold seasonings.
The snails are a lifeline for some in Tunisia, where youth unemployment now hovers above 40 percent and inflation remains high, three years after spiking to its highest levels in decades. A lack of opportunity has fueled social discontent throughout the country and, increasingly, migration to Europe.
Low in fat and high in iron, calcium and magnesium, snails offer both nutritional value and economic relief. In a country where unemployment runs high and median wages remain low, they cost about half as much as beef per kilogram and often less when sold by the bowl.
“Snails are better for cooking than lamb. If lamb meat costs 60 dinars ($19.30), a bowl of snails is five dinars ($1.60),” a man named Mohammed said at the Akouda market.
As the price of meat and poultry continues to rise, more Tunisians are turning to affordable, alternative sources of protein. Beyond their economic appeal, these substitutes are also drawing interest for their environmental benefits. Scientists say they offer a more sustainable solution, producing far fewer carbon emissions and avoiding the deforestation linked to traditional livestock farming.
Wahiba Dridi, who serves snails at her restaurant in Tunis, cooks them in a traditional fashion with peppers and spices. She said they were popular throughout this year’s Ramadan, which ended last week. Though Tunisian Muslims traditionally eat red meat at the meals during which they break their daily fasts, a kilogram of snails costs less than 28 Tunisian dinars ($9) compared to beef, which costs 55 dinars per kilogram ($18).
“If people knew the value of snails they would eat them all year long,” Dridi said.


Israel kills Hamas commander in Lebanon strike

Local residents walk past debris in front of an apartment building following an Israeli strike in Sidon on April 4, 2025. (AFP)
Updated 53 min 47 sec ago
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Israel kills Hamas commander in Lebanon strike

  • PM Nawaf Salam condemns targeting of civilians in Sidon, violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty

BEIRUT: Israel killed a commander of Hamas on Friday in a pre-dawn strike in the Lebanese port city of Sidon that also killed his two children.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described the strike as a “blatant violation of Lebanese sovereignty” and a breach of the ceasefire established on Nov. 27 with Israel.

He urged for maximum pressure on Israel to stop ongoing attacks that target various districts, many of which are residential areas, affirming that all military operations must cease.

The Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, confirmed the death of Hassan Farhat, also known as Abu Yasser.

According to a statement from his media office, Salam said: “Targeting Saida (Sidon) or any other area in Lebanon is a blatant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and a clear breach of UN Resolution 1701, as well as the security arrangement agreement regarding the cessation of hostilities.”

Lebanese state media had reported the 3:45 a.m. (0045 GMT) strike in Sidon.

A drone attacked a residential apartment, resulting in two explosions that caused a fire and significant damage, the National News Agency reported.

Sidon Mayor Hazem Badih stated that the raid resulted in the deaths of a father, his son Hamza, and his daughter Jinane.

It also destroyed the apartment and its contents, damaging neighboring apartments and buildings.

Media reports from Sidon indicated that the husband’s daughter was associated with the “Islamic Group in Lebanon.”

The Israeli raid caused damage to nearby buildings, shops, and parked cars, resulting in panic among residents.

Sidon is located less than 50 km from the southern border and 45 km from Beirut.

It is home to the Ain Al-Helweh camp, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon.

Over the decades, many of its residents have opted to live in the city rather than in the overcrowded neighborhoods of the camp.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated that the military carried out an operation directed by the Northern Command and the Intelligence Directorate.

Adraee said the objective was to target Farhat, the commander of the Western Sector of Hamas in Lebanon, who is based in the Sidon area of southern Lebanon.

The army claimed that Farhat orchestrated multiple attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians during the hostilities that followed the outbreak of war in Gaza in October 2023.

Adraee also stated that Farhat had promoted plans against Israel in recent months, posing a threat to the country and its citizens. This included the rocket fire on the Israeli town of Safed on Feb. 14, 2024, which resulted in the death of an Israeli soldier, according to the military.

Hamas stated that Farhat was “assassinated by an Israeli military drone in his apartment on the fourth floor of a seven-story building in a neighborhood of Saida, southern Lebanon. He was killed along with his two children by two guided missiles while they were sleeping.”

The Palestinian movement stated that the target was a commander of the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, and his son was a member of Hamas’ military wing.

This is the second Israeli assassination in a matter of days, following the killing of a Hezbollah official at his apartment on the second day of Eid Al-Fitr in the southern suburb of Beirut.

Also on Friday, Lebanon’s prime minister met with a delegation of mayors from border villages that were destroyed by the Israeli army during its conflict with Hezbollah, preventing residents from returning.

Salam reiterated his support for the residents in their efforts to secure essential assistance from the government to rebuild their destroyed homes and emphasized that the government was continuing its efforts to end the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.

He stated that the initial phase of the reconstruction process will prioritize repairing infrastructure, including roads, and ensuring the provision of water, electricity, and communication services.

A plan is being developed with the World Bank to ensure fairness among different villages and towns.

Salam highlighted the importance of maintaining stability, which requires implementing measures to ensure the safety and dignified existence of citizens.

Qassem Al-Qadri, the mayor of Kfar Shouba, stated that the border villages were facing difficult conditions, with a severe lack of security.

Al-Qadri claimed that the presence of the state in “our villages is still very limited” and that the government had not yet assessed all the damages nor reached every village.

He stated that the assistance at present primarily included food aid, while “we urgently require electricity, water, and infrastructure.”

Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said that the recent Israeli airstrike on Sidon constituted a clear violation of Lebanese sovereignty.

He said that if UN Resolution 1701 is to be enforced, it should be emphasized that Israel is the main violator of both the resolution and the agreement that established it.

The countries sponsoring this agreement, namely the US and France, must urge Israel to stop its attacks on Lebanon, he added.

In the border town of Kafr Kila, residents found flyers posted on the walls of their damaged homes amid ongoing Israeli military actions.

The flyers warned that their homes would be targeted if members of Hezbollah used them, stating: “Do not allow Hezbollah members to return to their homes or the area. Hezbollah is putting you and your family at risk. The choice is yours.”