Lebanon braces for Israeli response to Hezbollah as US urges restraint A state of panic has spread across Lebanon, fearing a harsh blow from Israel after the Majdal Shams attack. Saudi Arabia, France, Norway and Sweden have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible and Hezbollah, bracing for an imminent attack by Israel, has already evacuated some key sites. By Beatrice Farhat, Adam Lucente, Rina Bassist
Regional View In Ashura speech, Hezbollah chief warns Israel against invading Lebanon This year, the Shiite holiday comes as the region is boiling amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Lebanon
Regional View Israel fires at Lebanese army in south, strikes southern Syria An escalation in northern Israel and southern Lebanon has raised fears of an all-out war amid warnings that such a conflict could expand to the rest of the region. Lebanon
Interview Lebanon FM warns of 'devastating’ regional war if Israel escalates campaign against Hezbollah In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Lebanon's top diplomat, Abdallah Bou Habib, adds that security in the south ultimately depends on a strong Lebanese army and an agreement on the border – not war. With Abdallah Bou Habib Lebanon Foreign Minister
Hezbollah drones critically wound one in Israel By Beatrice Farhat In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict
Hezbollah, Hamas delegations meet in Beirut as Gaza cease-fire talks resume By Beatrice Farhat In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict
More than 200 rockets from Lebanon's Hezbollah rain down on Israel By Beatrice Farhat In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict
US, Iran guarantors of shaky deterrence between Israel and Hezbollah By Week in Review, Andrew Parasiliti
Egypt Deaths Call for Action The resignation of Egypt’s Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei is a clear indictment of the military's actions. By Clovis Maksoud
Syria’s Economic Crisis Magnifies Human Tragedy Often eclipsed by the Syrian conflict’s exorbitant human cost, the embattled country’s economy has plummeted over the past three years under stringent international sanctions. By Sami Nader
Syrian Opposition Condemns Jihadists Targeting Alawites Syria's internal opposition has condemned attacks on Alawite civilians in Latakia. By Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)
Israeli Settlement Authorization Is Pre-Emptive Strike Israeli is striking a blow against the peace process by authorizing further settlement expansion. By Clovis Maksoud
Has Al-Qaeda Infiltrated Lebanon? Amid regional chaos, some fear that al-Qaeda may have spread to Lebanon in the form of sleeper cells. By Nasser Chararah
Rouhani, Suleiman: Vanguards Of Moderation in Middle East Like his counterpart in Beirut, Tehran’s new President Hassan Rouhani embraces just the kind of moderation the region may need at this tumultuous time. By Sami Nader
Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process Faces Enormous Challenges As long as the US is not playing a forceful role, there will be numerous difficulties that could prevent the Palestinian-Israeli negotiation process from successfully moving forward. By Nassif Hitti
Iran's Ties to Hezbollah Unchanged Although there are expectations of a more moderate approach to foreign affairs under Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Iran's relations with Hezbollah will remain the same. By Ali Hashem In Doha, reporting on Iran, regional politics, conflict
Turkish Pilots Abducted At Gunpoint in Beirut Two Turkish Airlines pilots were kidnapped in Beirut early Friday, Aug. 9, to put pressure on the Turkish government to help release nine Shiite Lebanese hostages in Syria since May 2012. By Tulin Daloglu
Israel Prepares for Next War With Hezbollah The Israel Defense Forces is watching with concern as Hezbollah improves its military capabilities in Syria. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Lebanon-Israel Border Incident Tests UNIFIL-Hezbollah Ties Following the Israeli military’s violation of the UN Blue Line this week, the reactions of both UNIFIL and Hezbollah may provide a litmus test for their relationship. By A correspondent in Beirut
Is Hamas Considering A Move to Beirut? Beirut has been the scene of intense political activity by Hamas as it seeks to restore ties with Hezbollah and Iran. By Adnan Abu Amer