Le Drian to Visit Lebanon Next Month on ‘Last Opportunity’ Mission

 Presidential Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian held a meeting with Samir Geagea, the leader of the “Lebanese Forces” party during his recent visit to Lebanon.
Presidential Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian held a meeting with Samir Geagea, the leader of the “Lebanese Forces” party during his recent visit to Lebanon.
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Le Drian to Visit Lebanon Next Month on ‘Last Opportunity’ Mission

 Presidential Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian held a meeting with Samir Geagea, the leader of the “Lebanese Forces” party during his recent visit to Lebanon.
Presidential Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian held a meeting with Samir Geagea, the leader of the “Lebanese Forces” party during his recent visit to Lebanon.

During a recent meeting of the five nations focused on Lebanon’s affairs in the Qatari capital, it became clear that a fragile balance holds the international community back from withdrawing support for the Lebanese leadership’s attempts to address their political, financial, and economic challenges – unless they take initiative themselves.

Signs suggest that patience wears thin over the Lebanese’s perceived lack of dedication and inability to forge a crisis exit strategy.

French special envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian had presented two key questions to Lebanese political leaders he met last July.

He demanded answers to these queries before his return to Lebanon in mid-September.

Le Drian’s upcoming comprehensive meeting with Lebanon’s parliamentary blocs is expected to be “more than a dialogue... and less than an initiative.”

French diplomatic sources in Beirut told Asharq Al-Awsat that Le Drian’s message aims to break free from the “vicious cycle” in which political maneuvers have been revolving since Lebanon’s presidential vacancy started in November 2022.

Sources mentioned that Le Drian’s endeavor will represent “one of the international community’s final attempts to assist Lebanon,” cautioning that the international community’s patience is wearing away.

In a potentially final opportunity, Le Drian is striving to break the existing political deadlock, drawing on the strong support of the French President and the backing of the five nations concerned with Lebanese affairs (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, France, and the United States), along with his considerable political expertise in conflict resolution.

He hopes that Lebanon can benefit from this experience before the idea of assistance from friends is abandoned.

Le Drian had posed the same two questions to those he met last July, concerning their views on the projects that the incoming president should undertake and the qualities they should possess.

Sources clarified that the French envoy would compile the answers he receives into a working plan, which he will then present to Lebanese leadership during an extensive meeting to be hosted by France in Beirut.

This will be preceded by bilateral meetings conducted by the French envoy, with Le Drian set to make shuttle visits to Lebanon during that period to “do whatever is necessary to provide an opportunity for a solution.”



Israel Says it Attacked Hezbollah's Intelligence HQ in Beirut

Smoke billows over Beirut's southern suburbs after an Israeli strike, as seen from Hadath, Lebanon October 20, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
Smoke billows over Beirut's southern suburbs after an Israeli strike, as seen from Hadath, Lebanon October 20, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
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Israel Says it Attacked Hezbollah's Intelligence HQ in Beirut

Smoke billows over Beirut's southern suburbs after an Israeli strike, as seen from Hadath, Lebanon October 20, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
Smoke billows over Beirut's southern suburbs after an Israeli strike, as seen from Hadath, Lebanon October 20, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Israel carried out at least three air raids on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday after issuing evacuation orders.

Israel said its air force attacked Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters and an underground workshop for the production of weapons in Beirut.

In a statement, the Israeli military said its fighter jets killed three Hezbollah commanders, including Alhaj Abbas Salameh, a senior figure in the group's southern command, Radja Abbas Awache, a communications expert, and Ahmad Ali Hussein, who it said was responsible for strategic weapons development.
It was not clear if the three were killed in the attack on the headquarters or in separate actions.

A day earlier, Israel carried out heavy strikes on several locations in Beirut's southern suburbs, leaving thick plumes of smoke hanging over the city into the evening.

The strikes targeted "a number of Hezbollah weapons storage facilities and a Hezbollah intelligence headquarters command center,” Israel's military said.

Israel had issued evacuation orders for four separate neighborhoods within the suburbs, urging residents to get 500 meters away, but carried out strikes in other areas as well, witnesses said.

Tens of thousands of people have fled the southern suburbs - once a densely populated zone that also housed Hezbollah offices and underground installations - since Israel began regular strikes there about three weeks ago.

An Israeli air attack on Sept. 27 killed Hezbollah's secretary general Hassan Nasrallah, and strikes nearby have killed other top figures from the Iran-backed group.