Lebanon’s revival hangs in the balance as Iran-Israel tension simmers

Social media has been flooded with videos of young Lebanese defiantly celebrating as missiles arc across the night sky; a fatalistic coping mechanism for Lebanon’s years of conflict. (X)
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Updated 25 June 2025
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Lebanon’s revival hangs in the balance as Iran-Israel tension simmers

  • As nightlife returns and tourists arrive, a fragile sense of hope grows — but one missile could shatter Lebanon’s recovery
  • With Hezbollah weakened and a new government in power, Lebanon teeters between a long-awaited revival and renewed conflict

BEIRUT: Colorful fireworks, sparkler-topped champagne bottles, and the occasional ballistic missile became regular features of nights out at Lebanon’s many rooftop bars and nightclubs last week, as Iran and Israel exchanged fire — providing revelers with a grim and surreal light show.

Social media has been flooded with videos of young people defiantly celebrating life as missiles arc across the night sky. This blend of dark humor and fatalistic resilience reflects a deeper yearning among Lebanese to break free from the endless cycles of conflict.

“The Lebanese love to celebrate as a way of compensating for all the crises they have endured,” Jean Beiruti, secretary-general of the Tourism Syndicates Union, told Arab News.

“Perhaps the clearest proof of this is the widely shared clips of wedding parties and nightclub gatherings even as missiles flew across Lebanon’s skies.”

This summer was meant to mark a renaissance for Lebanon — a glimmer of hope after years of economic collapse and political paralysis.

 

 

A new president and prime minister, untainted by the corruption of their predecessors, had taken office. Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed armed group, had been severely weakened after a devastating war with Israel.

Signs of revival had begun to appear. Tourists from across the region — notably Emiratis — were returning, choosing Lebanon as their summer retreat.

The familiar hum of vibrant nightlife had returned, and Lebanon’s famed hospitality was once again on full display, suggesting the country might finally be stepping out from the shadow of turmoil.

Yet the juxtaposition of festivity and fragility has never felt starker.




A new president and prime minister, untainted by the corruption of their predecessors, represent a glimmer of hope for Lebanon after years of economic collapse and political paralysis. (AFP)

As tourists and locals embraced the promise of a carefree summer, the grim reality of regional tensions sometimes broke through.

Rocket fire streaking across Lebanon’s skies served as a chilling reminder of the ever-present threat at its borders.

“The regional developments had a limited impact on the start of Lebanon’s tourism season, particularly concerning flight bookings,” said Beiruti, reflecting on whether the Israel-Iran conflict had harmed tourist footfall.

“While all June bookings were canceled, July reservations remain unaffected so far. Tourism establishments in Lebanon are working flexibly with customers, offering incentives to maintain bookings and avoid cancellations.”

He is nonetheless hopeful that the setback will be temporary.




Smoke and fire errupt from the site of an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on June 5, 2025. (AFP)

“If the security situation stabilizes and flights return to normal, things will go back to the way they were,” he said. “Lebanese expatriates will return with their families to spend the summer in Lebanon. They come every year regardless.

“We have already seen the beginning of Gulf tourism, with visitors arriving from the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, as well as tourists from Egypt, Iraq and Jordan. These visitors never stopped coming to Lebanon.”

Nevertheless, the wider turmoil in the region has complicated Lebanon’s return to normalcy. Travel advisories issued by Western governments have discouraged artists and tourists from taking part in the country’s summer festivals.

Most notably, the Beiteddine Festival has postponed its program for a second year in a row.

FASTFACTS

  • Despite regional tensions, Lebanon’s nightlife and tourism sectors show signs of recovery after years of economic and political turmoil.
  • Hezbollah’s weakened status and public wariness have helped Lebanon avoid deeper conflict, offering a brief window for economic revival.

“The opening of the festivals was supposed to feature American artistic groups, but the measure taken by the US State Department advising Americans against traveling to the region prompted us to postpone the festivals,” Hala Chahine, the festival’s spokesperson, told Arab News.

The Baalbeck International Festival may face a similar fate.

“The final decision has not been made yet, and we still have time,” Maya Halabi, the festival’s spokesperson, told Arab News. “The festivals are set to begin at the end of next July, so we can monitor the situation for a sufficient period before making the final decision.”

She added: “The main issue lies with the artistic groups that are set to participate, including those performing in “Carmen,” Georges Bizet’s masterpiece, scheduled for July 25 on the steps of the Temple of Bacchus. They are coming from Romania, Paris and Brazil.”

Tony Ramy, president of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Night Clubs and Pastries, said the hospitality sector “had pinned its hopes on the new era in Lebanon, which brought trust and hope, as psychological factors greatly influence the tourism sector.




Local residents inspect the debris and rubble from a collapsed building hit by an overnight Israeli airstrike in the Haret Hreik neighbourhood of Beirut’s southern suburbs on June 6, 2025. (AFP)

“Expectations were high, especially with the Arab openness to Lebanon — particularly from the Gulf countries. The Arab tourists are investors in Lebanon, property owners and big brothers to the Lebanese, and we share with them a historical nostalgia.

“Preparations were extensive, and we gathered some time ago at the Phoenicia Hotel — we, the owners of more than 400 restaurants — to declare that the sector was fully ready for the summer season.

“But the recent developments led to a drop in reservations by as much as 70 percent after airlines stopped landing at Beirut Airport.”

On the ground, Lebanese citizens — who personify the phrase ‘it is what it is’ — are living a dual reality. For many, day-to-day concerns like income and access to basic services outweigh the complexities of geopolitics.

Initially, many feared Lebanon would be dragged back into conflict if Hezbollah joined the fight at Iran’s behest. Those fears eased when the group announced it would stay out — for now.




 Lebanese citizens — who personify the phrase ‘it is what it is’ — are living a dual reality. For many, day-to-day concerns like income and access to basic services outweigh the complexities of geopolitics. (AFP)

Thomas Barrack, the US envoy to Syria, had warned Hezbollah against any action that might ignite further instability.

“I can say on behalf of President Trump... that would be a very, very, very bad decision,” Barrack said after his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri last week, responding to a question on what the US position would be on any involvement by Hezbollah in the war.

Speaking in Doha on Tuesday, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said his government had succeeded in avoiding a new war.

“We managed to prevent Lebanon being dragged into a new war or involvement in the regional conflict that was raging, and today we are looking forward to a new page of diplomatic action,” Salam told a press conference in the Qatari capital.

Lebanon’s recovery remains tightly bound to Hezbollah’s trajectory. Once regarded as Iran’s most formidable regional proxy, Hezbollah has been severely weakened. Over the past year, Israeli operations have decimated its leadership and degraded its military capabilities.




Many feared Lebanon would be dragged back into conflict if Hezbollah joined the fight at Iran’s behest. Those fears eased when the group announced it would stay out — for now. (AFP)

The US-brokered ceasefire of November 2024, which Hezbollah was forced to accept, left the group politically isolated and militarily diminished — sidelined in the latest confrontation between Iran and Israel.

Despite its historic role as Iran’s frontline against Israel, Hezbollah has refrained from attacking during the latest crisis. This restraint reflects not only the damage it has sustained, but also shifting public sentiment in Lebanon.

Many Lebanese now question the wisdom of sacrificing their fragile recovery for Iran’s regional ambitions — particularly after Tehran offered little support during Hezbollah’s darkest hours.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hezbollah was required to retreat north of the Litani River and surrender its weapons to the Lebanese Armed Forces — a process still underway.

The latest regional escalation began with Israel’s unprecedented strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, prompting missile barrages on Israeli cities. The US responded with direct strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.




This picture shows the heavily damaged building of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) after it was hit a few days earlier in an Israeli strike, in Tehran, on June 19, 2025. (AFP)

The next day, Iran retaliated with missile fire targeting US forces at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, drawing widespread condemnation. All missiles were intercepted and no casualties were reported.

While full-scale war seemed imminent, a fragile ceasefire — announced by US President Donald Trump on Monday — appears to be holding, at least for now.

Although both Israel and Iran have violated the truce in isolated incidents, the pause has allowed ordinary Lebanese to cling to the hope of avoiding further chaos.

Still, anxiety lingers. Lebanon’s recovery remains fragile, and any renewed fighting could draw Hezbollah back into the conflict — with potentially disastrous consequences.

For now, the country stands at a crossroads. The Lebanese people are determined to seize this rare moment of calm to rebuild and reclaim a sense of normal life. But the fate of that recovery may depend on the restraint of regional powers — and the endurance of the ceasefire.




The Lebanese people are determined to seize this rare moment of calm to rebuild and reclaim a sense of normal life. But the fate of that recovery may depend on the restraint of regional powers — and the endurance of the ceasefire. (AFP)

Since the ceasefire was announced, Ramy said the tourism and hospitality sector had received a vital boost.

“The Arab tourists are last-minute planners,” he told Arab News.

“Now we await the Arab tourists from the Gulf, and we expect the arrival of Jordanian and Egyptian tourists. These come quickly because the distance between us is short, and they have their own hotels and restaurants they frequent. We hope for a summer similar to that of 2023.

“What matters most is security and political stability.”

 


Iraq’s Kurdistan enjoys all-day state electricity

Updated 5 sec ago
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Iraq’s Kurdistan enjoys all-day state electricity

Irbil: More than 30 percent of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region now has 24-hour state electricity, authorities said Thursday, with plans to extend full coverage by the end of 2026.
The northern region of Kurdistan has long promoted itself as a haven of relative stability in an otherwise volatile country.
Despite Iraq’s vast oil wealth, the national grid struggles to meet demand, leaving most areas reliant on imported energy and subject to frequent power cuts.
“Today, two million people across the Kurdistan region enjoy 24-hour electricity... that’s 30 percent of the population,” including the cities of Irbil, Duhok and Sulaimaniyah, said regional prime minister Masrour Barzani.
In 2024, the Kurdistan Regional Government launched “Project Runaki” to deliver round-the-clock power in a region where, like much of Iraq, residents often turn to costly and polluting private generators.
The region’s electricity minister, Kamal Mohammed, said residents were now enjoying “uninterrupted, cleaner, and more affordable electricity.”
“Rollout to other areas is expected to be completed by the end of 2026,” he told AFP.
As part of the transition, roughly 30 percent of the 7,000 private generators operating across Kurdistan have already been decommissioned, he said, a move that has contributed to an estimated annual reduction of nearly 400,000 tons of CO2 emissions.
The project also aims to lower household electricity bills, offering a cheaper alternative to the combined cost of grid power and private generator fees.
However, bills will still depend on consumption and are likely to increase during peak summer and winter months.
Mohammed said the project’s success hinges on the introduction of “smart” meters to curb electricity theft, as well as a new tariff system to promote responsible usage.
“More power has been added to the grid to support 24/7 access,” he said.
Kurdistan has doubled its gas production in the past five years, and most of the power supply comes from local gas production, Mohammed said.
Despite Iraq’s abundant oil and gas reserves, years of conflict have devastated its infrastructure.
The country remains heavily reliant on imports, particularly from neighboring Iran, which frequently interrupts supply. It also imports electricity from Jordan and Turkiye, while seeking to boost its own gas output.
“We stand ready to offer our technical support and assistance” to the federal government, Mohammed said.
In Irbil, resident Bishdar Attar, 38, said the biggest change was the absence of noisy and polluting generators.
“The air is now clear,” he said. “We can now use home appliances freely... as needed.”

Gaza civil defense says 20 killed in Israeli air strikes

Updated 26 min 42 sec ago
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Gaza civil defense says 20 killed in Israeli air strikes

  • Gaza’s civil defense said the first strike hit a tent housing displaced people in Khan Yunis in the south, and the second struck a camp in the north
  • The bombings came as Netanyahu met Trump in Washington and discussed the ongoing campaign to defeat Hamas i

GAZA CITY: Gaza’s civil defense agency on Wednesday said that 20 people, including at least six children, were killed in two Israeli air strikes overnight in the Palestinian territory.
Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP the first hit a tent housing displaced people in Khan Yunis in the south shortly after midnight local time (2100 GMT Tuesday) and the second struck a camp in the north soon afterwards.
The Israeli military said it was looking into the report when contacted by AFP.
The bombings came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump in Washington and discussed the ongoing campaign to defeat Hamas in Gaza.
Afterwards, he restated Israel’s aims to secure the release of all hostages taken during the Palestinian militants’ October 7, 2023 attack, and “the elimination” of its “military and governing capabilities.”
Gaza’s civil defense agency said 29 people were killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza on Tuesday, with victims also including people displaced by 21 months of conflict.
Bassal said the first strike on Wednesday killed 10 members of the same family sheltering in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis while the second, on the Al-Shati camp near Gaza City, also left more than 30 wounded.
The victims were from two families, he added.
“The explosion was massive, like an earthquake,” said Zuhair Judeh, 40, who saw the Al-Shati air strike.
“It destroyed the house and several nearby homes. The bodies and remains of the martyrs were scattered,” he added, calling it “a horrific massacre.”
Several people remained missing, presumed trapped under the rubble, he said.
Abeer Al-Sharbasi, 36, described the air strike as “terrifying” and said it happened as she and her family were asleep in a nearby tent.
“You can’t predict when or why they’ll bomb you. We have nothing left but to surrender ourselves to God.”
Due to restrictions imposed on media in the Gaza Strip and difficulties accessing the area, AFP is unable to independently verify the death tolls and details shared by the parties involved.
Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Of 251 hostages seized during attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,575 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN considers the figures reliable.


Greek ship sinks off Yemen after Houthi attack, crew being rescued, sources say

Updated 35 min 50 sec ago
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Greek ship sinks off Yemen after Houthi attack, crew being rescued, sources say

  • Some of the crew were in lifejackets in the water and at least five people have been rescued so far

ATHENS: The Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier Eternity C has sunk after a Houthi attack off Yemen, four maritime security sources told Reuters on Wednesday, and efforts to rescue the crew were under way.
Some of the crew were in lifejackets in the water and at least five people have been rescued so far, two of the sources said.


Jailed PKK leader Ocalan says armed struggle with Turkiye over

Updated 09 July 2025
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Jailed PKK leader Ocalan says armed struggle with Turkiye over

  • Ocalan urged Turkiye’s parliament to set up a commission to oversee disarmament and manage a broader peace process

Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), appeared in a rare online video on Wednesday to say the group’s armed struggle against Turkiye has ended, and he called for a full shift to democratic politics.

In the recording, dated June and released by Firat News Agency, which is close to the PKK, Ocalan urged Turkiye’s parliament to set up a commission to oversee disarmament and manage a broader peace process.

The PKK, which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state for 40 years and is labelled a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States and the EU, decided in May to disband after an initial written appeal from Ocalan in February.

“The phase of armed struggle has ended. This is not a loss, but a historic gain,” he said in the video, the first time since he was jailed in 1999 that either footage of him or a recording of his voice has been released.

“The armed struggle stage must now be voluntarily replaced by a phase of democratic politics and law.”

Ocalan, seated in a beige polo shirt with a glass of water on the table in front of him, appeared to read from a transcript in the seven-minute video. He was surrounded by six other jailed PKK members all looking straight at the camera.

He said the PKK had ended its separatist agenda.

“The main objective has been achieved – existence has been acknowledged,” he said. “What remains would be excessive repetition and a dead end.”

Ocalan added that Turkiye’s pro-Kurdish DEM Party, the third largest in parliament in Ankara, should work alongside other political parties.


South Sudan says US deportees under government care

Updated 09 July 2025
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South Sudan says US deportees under government care

  • The South Sudanese foreign ministry released a statement on the migrants saying: “They are currently in Juba under the care of the relevant authorities, who are screening them and ensuring their safety and well-being”

JUBA: War-torn South Sudan has said it is looking after a group of eight criminal migrants controversially deported from the United States.
Only one of them is from South Sudan. The administration of US President Donald Trump is trying to move unwanted migrants to third countries as some nations refuse to accept returnees.
The rest comprise two people from Myanmar, two from Cuba, and one each from Vietnam, Laos and Mexico.
The decision has been fought in American courts.
“They are currently in Juba under the care of the relevant authorities, who are screening them and ensuring their safety and well-being,” the South Sudanese foreign ministry statement said late Tuesday.
It did not give details, but said the “careful and well-studied decision” was part of “ongoing bilateral engagement.”
“South Sudan responded positively to a request from the US authorities as a gesture of goodwill, humanitarian cooperation, and commitment to mutual interests,” it added.
United Nations experts, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council but who do not speak on behalf of the UN, have criticized the move.
“International law is clear that no one shall be sent anywhere where there are substantial grounds for believing that the person would be in danger of being subjected to ... torture, enforced disappearance or arbitrary deprivation of life,” 11 independent UN rights experts said in a statement.
The deportees left the United States for South Sudan in May but their flight ended up in Djibouti when a US district court imposed a stay on third-country deportations. That ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court earlier this month.
The group arrived in South Sudan on June 5 with an official, speaking on condition of anonymity, saying they had been returned by US Marines.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Apuk Ayuel Mayen said Juba maintains a strong commitment to its people, including “its nationals returning under any circumstances” and “persons with recognized links to South Sudan.”
Simmering rivalry between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and his vice president Riek Machar boiled over into open hostilities in March.
The tensions have raised fears of a return to full-scale war in the world’s youngest country, where a civil war killed some 400,000 people in 2013-2018.