On February 14, 2005, a massive explosion ripped through the heart of downtown Beirut, killing the former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri and 21 others. In a targeted attack, a bomb had detonated just as his motorcade drove near the St George Hotel, along Beirut's seafront.

 

The killing of one of Lebanon's dominant political figures sent shockwaves across the country. Tensions had been simmering with Syria as it exerted its growing influence in Lebanese affairs, maintaining a military presence and cherry-picking government candidates to serve its interests.

 

Mr Hariri had been tasked with rebuilding Lebanon after its civil war but he had to navigate a challenging political landscape that was tainted by power struggles, foreign intervention and government corruption. He tried to push back against Syria’s presence but this made him a target and eventually led to his assassination.

 

In the two decades following his death, the country descended into unrest and economic turmoil. But Lebanon today stands at a crossroads in the aftermath of Israel’s spillover war from Gaza, the weakening of Hezbollah and the fall of the Assad government in Syria.

 

This episode of Beyond the Headlines, marking the 20th anniversary of Hariri’s death, looks back at the spiral of events that swept across Lebanon in its wake, how they shaped the country, and how the long-awaited new government has a fresh opportunity to bring much-needed reform.