The Reality in Lebanon

Please join me and my special guest, Middle East journalist Antoni Barakat, for an important conversation about the reality on the ground in Lebanon—and a country caught at the center of one of the Middle East's most dangerous political and military struggles. We'll discuss Lebanon's continuing political and economic challenges, the enormous pressure being placed on ordinary Lebanese, and the increasingly difficult question of Hezbollah's role and its weapons. We'll also examine the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and whether the military can ultimately become the sole guarantor of Lebanon's security and sovereignty. And, of course, we'll look at the confrontation with Israel: Israeli military operations and presence in southern Lebanon, Hezbollah's refusal to disarm before an Israeli withdrawal, and whether the current stalemate can be resolved without dragging Lebanon into yet another devastating conflict. Most importantly, we'll ask what all of this means for the Lebanese people—people trying to rebuild their lives, their economy and their country while decisions made in Beirut, Jerusalem and across the region continue to shape their future.