Thursday, May 7, 2026, Paris

Despite a US-imposed ceasefire, Israel continued to aggressively target Lebanon, ostensibly to target members and leaders of the Shia group Hezbollah.

On Wednesday, for the first time since the ceasefire, Israel also launched an attack on Beirut, targeting an apparent Hezbollah commander, but also in a likely attempt provoke Hezbollah’s Iranian patrons and complicated any move toward a deal between Tehran and Washington.

I recently spoke with Jad al-Dilati, a researcher at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, and a native of the southern Lebanese town of Nabatiyeh. We spoke about the history of Israel’s military interventions in Lebanon, Hezbollah’s provocative rogue actions, and the way the war risks destroying the country’s fragile sectarian balance.

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