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Lebanon Fears Being Dragged to War as US-Iran Tensions Spike

People gather near a building damaged in an Israeli strike in the village of Bednayel in eastern Lebanon, 21 February 2026. (EPA)
People gather near a building damaged in an Israeli strike in the village of Bednayel in eastern Lebanon, 21 February 2026. (EPA)
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Lebanon Fears Being Dragged to War as US-Iran Tensions Spike

People gather near a building damaged in an Israeli strike in the village of Bednayel in eastern Lebanon, 21 February 2026. (EPA)
People gather near a building damaged in an Israeli strike in the village of Bednayel in eastern Lebanon, 21 February 2026. (EPA)

Concern is mounting in Lebanon as tensions between the United States and Iran intensify, stoking fears that any direct military clash could spill onto Lebanese soil.

The evacuation of non-essential staff from the US embassy in Beirut has deepened unease, especially as it coincided with official Lebanese statements citing “indications” that Israel could launch powerful strikes in the event of escalation, potentially targeting strategic infrastructure, including the airport.

Warnings

Speaking from Geneva on the sidelines of a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said: “There are signs that the Israelis could strike very hard in the event of an escalation, potentially including strategic infrastructure such as the airport.”

“We are currently conducting diplomatic efforts to request that, even in the event of retaliation, Lebanese civilian infrastructure not be targeted,” he added.

In the same vein, Reuters quoted two senior Lebanese officials as saying Israel had sent an indirect message that it would hit Lebanon hard and target civilian infrastructure, including the airport, if Hezbollah joined any US-Iran war.

Presidency: No warnings received

As Lebanese officials work to prevent Hezbollah from dragging the country into a new “support war”, ministerial sources close to the presidency said “no warnings have reached the Lebanese presidency in this regard.”

The sources said assurances were conveyed through Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri that Hezbollah would not intervene in the war.

On the US embassy’s evacuation decision, the sources said Lebanese officials contacted the embassy in Beirut and were told the move was temporary and precautionary, linked to the regional security situation and talk of an imminent Iranian strike and a possible Hezbollah response from Lebanon.

US measures included closing the consular section and canceling all visa appointments, they added.

Lebanese authorities have not been informed of any similar steps by European embassies, the sources revealed.

Possible arena for confrontation

Dr. Sami Nader, director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs, said Lebanon could become a potential arena for confrontation based on political and military realities, but described the US embassy’s steps as standard precautionary measures taken in similar circumstances.

“Hezbollah, through its Secretary-General Naim Qassem, said it will not remain neutral. Hezbollah has not been fully disarmed, and the plan to confine weapons to the state has not been completed,” Nader told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Fears have therefore grown that Lebanon could become a parallel arena to what may happen in Iran, especially with the rising likelihood of a military strike on Tehran.”

While the scale of any military fallout in Lebanon from a regional war cannot be predicted, Nader said Israeli escalation in the Bekaa and the south last week aimed to preempt Hezbollah from launching a strike on Israel.

“The elements of a parallel arena in Lebanon are almost complete. That is why the Americans judged the risk level to be high in Lebanon and took this decision, unlike in other countries not exposed to becoming an arena of confrontation,” he explained.

Washington orders departures

The US State Department said in an updated travel advisory that on Feb. 23 it ordered non-essential embassy staff and their family members to leave Lebanon due to the security situation in Beirut.

Washington renewed its Level 4 advisory against travel to Lebanon, citing risks of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, unexploded landmines and the potential for armed conflict, particularly near the border.

It said US embassy personnel in Beirut face strict restrictions on personal travel, with further limits possible without prior notice amid growing security threats.

Kataeb warns against new war

Amid the tensions, the Kataeb party warned against dragging Lebanon into another war.

The party voiced concern over “statements by Hezbollah officials about their readiness to support Tehran if it comes under military strike,” alongside reports of field movements by officers from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and elements linked to Palestinian groups in areas under Hezbollah’s control, as well as the widening of Israeli airstrikes inside Lebanon.

It renewed its call for the legitimate armed forces to act swiftly and decisively to dismantle Hezbollah’s security and military apparatus across all Lebanese territory without exception.

It warned that failure to extend state authority across Lebanon undermines the integrity of the parliamentary elections, the freedom of candidacy and voting, and the protection of the democratic process from pressure or intimidation.

It added that any tangible change in political life and governance remains conditional on the state’s monopoly over arms and control of decisions of war and peace.

The elections are set for May.

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Arab World

Arms Depots in Residential Areas Keep Libyans on Edge

Remnants of ammunition after a weapons depot explosion in Misrata, western Libya, on Friday (Criminal Investigation Department)
Remnants of ammunition after a weapons depot explosion in Misrata, western Libya, on Friday (Criminal Investigation Department)
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Arms Depots in Residential Areas Keep Libyans on Edge

Remnants of ammunition after a weapons depot explosion in Misrata, western Libya, on Friday (Criminal Investigation Department)
Remnants of ammunition after a weapons depot explosion in Misrata, western Libya, on Friday (Criminal Investigation Department)

An explosion at a warehouse belonging to an armed group in the northwestern Libyan city of Misrata has revived fears over munitions stored among civilians despite an earlier order to remove such facilities from populated areas.

Weapons and ammunition depots inside residential areas have become a persistent challenge for Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNA) in the west and a growing concern for residents.

Friday’s blast in the Gharian area underscored the risks posed by ammunition depots run by armed groups inside residential neighborhoods. Residents have renewed calls for the facilities to be moved away from populated areas, fearing a repeat of earlier explosions that caused casualties and sparked widespread anger.

Ammunition found on Friday at the site of a weapons depot explosion in Misrata, western Libya (Criminal Investigation Department)

Salem Krawad, a Misrata notable, said public anger had “reached its peak because of the proliferation of weapons without decisive government action.”

“The danger is not limited to warehouses. It extends to homes containing shells, ammunition boxes, and light arms, raising fear among residents,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Medical sources said the explosion at a warehouse belonging to an armed group calling itself the “Hurricane Brigade” caused injuries and panic after rockets and ammunition flew into the surrounding area, raising fears of further blasts.

By early Saturday, the operations room of the government-run Libyan Mine Action Center was still receiving reports from residents of intermittent ammunition explosions, a center source said.

The depots in the city were large and held various types of ammunition, the source added.

GNA Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah had not commented on the incident. He was visiting Misrata, where he toured a power station and attended a sports festival.

The head of the Government of National Unity attended a sports festival in Misrata but did not comment on the explosion (Dbeibeh's Office)

Interior Minister Emad al-Trabelsi ordered security agencies to survey and comb the areas around the blast site and remove remnants.

Local sources ruled out a deliberate attack as the cause of the explosion in Misrata. But the incident recalled a similar blast in August last year in the city’s al-Sukairat area that injured 16 residents.

That explosion sparked protests in Misrata, with residents demanding the removal of weapons and ammunition depots from residential areas.

Abdul Salam al-Zoubi, undersecretary at the Defense Ministry for regions and military affairs, then ordered the formation of a committee to identify alternative storage sites and clear existing depots from populated areas.

But the decision was never implemented, Krawad said, questioning why the depots remained in residential districts despite repeated calls to remove them.

Their continued presence “represents a latent danger threatening civilian lives and means an explosion could occur at any time,” he said.

Libya has faced widespread proliferation of weapons and ammunition since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s government in 2011, with military depots located near population centers. UN reports estimate there are about 20 million arms in the country, highlighting the scale of the challenge.

A member of the Military Engineering Department in Tripoli defuses a mine in the Al-Aqrabiyah area near a residential neighborhood (General Staff of the Government of National Unity Forces)

The danger goes beyond warehouse explosions. Official figures show that mines and explosive ordnance have caused 487 casualties since May 2020, including 175 deaths and 312 injuries. Eighty-seven of the victims were children.

Representatives of 10 countries and international partners to Libya warned at a meeting in Rome in May about unsafe ammunition storage, particularly depots near residential areas, saying they posed a continuing threat to civilians.

Despite the warnings, ammunition depots remain scattered through residential areas across Libya, according to the Libyan Mine Action Center. The risks increase in the south as temperatures rise, potentially raising the chances of improperly stored ammunition exploding.

Khaled Jibril, spokesperson for the Libyan Mine Action Center, renewed warnings that unsafe storage of ammunition and explosive remnants of war, especially near residential neighborhoods, posed a constant threat to civilians because explosions and other incidents could occur without warning.

Jibril told Asharq Al-Awsat that protecting civilians and reducing risks posed by ammunition and remnants of war required cooperation among the relevant authorities, with public safety prioritized and practical steps taken to stop haphazard storage and to move sources of danger away from populated areas.

The ongoing risks pose a challenge far beyond Misrata in a country still divided between two governments: The Tripoli-based GNA, headed by Dbeibah, and a parliament-appointed government, headed by Osama Hammad, that administers eastern Libya and southern cities.

Arab World

Exceptional School Year: South Lebanon Families Weigh Options Amid War Fears

A member of the Red Cross provides learning activities to children inside a tent at Camille Chamoun Sports City stadium turned into a temporary shelter in Beirut, Lebanon, May 8, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
A member of the Red Cross provides learning activities to children inside a tent at Camille Chamoun Sports City stadium turned into a temporary shelter in Beirut, Lebanon, May 8, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
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Exceptional School Year: South Lebanon Families Weigh Options Amid War Fears

A member of the Red Cross provides learning activities to children inside a tent at Camille Chamoun Sports City stadium turned into a temporary shelter in Beirut, Lebanon, May 8, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
A member of the Red Cross provides learning activities to children inside a tent at Camille Chamoun Sports City stadium turned into a temporary shelter in Beirut, Lebanon, May 8, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

For many families in southern Lebanon, choosing a school is no longer a decision made months in advance.

With September approaching, parents are still weighing where to enroll their children, watching the security situation and recalling the upheaval of the past two years, when thousands of students were kept out of classrooms, families were displaced and schools shifted from in-person to remote learning.

The uncertainty has produced starkly different choices. Some families are enrolling children in schools in the areas where they were displaced.

Others are opting for lower-cost public schools in case classrooms are forced to close again. Some are seeking schools in safer areas that stayed open during the previous war.

A displaced woman with children sits outside a school-turned-shelter, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Beirut, Lebanon, March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Normally, most Lebanese schools, particularly private ones, complete enrollment by the end of the previous academic year, allowing the new school year to begin with student lists already finalized.

This year, some schools are keeping registration open through the first two weeks of September as parents hesitate over where to send their children.

“I enrolled my children, but I still haven’t bought their books,” said Abeer, a mother of three.

“Every day I look at the book lists and wonder: Should I wait, or pay for them and have the same thing happen as in the past two years? I’ll wait until mid-September before deciding.”

For Maryam, safety means keeping school close to home.

“My son is in first grade. I enrolled him in the public school near us in the village,” she said. “That way, if anything happens, I can pick him up quickly and flee at any moment.”

Parents from border areas who do not expect to return home soon are among those searching for schools where they have been displaced.

Others are turning to public schools, known for their lower fees, wary of paying high tuition only for schools to close again.

Some families are taking another approach: looking for schools in safer areas that managed to keep classrooms open during the previous war.

For parents reluctant to repeat the experience of remote learning, that has become a key condition.

“We decided to stay in the area where we were displaced,” said Um Ahmad. “So I looked for a school that did not close during the war and enrolled my children there.”

“I don’t believe remote learning is as beneficial as in-person education,” she said. “There is also the severe psychological strain that war places on my children and on us adults alike. So I believe in-person learning is better as long as it remains possible.”

A displaced man, who fled his home after an Israeli evacuation order, sits in a university-turned shelter in Sidon, Lebanon, April 13, 2026. REUTERS/Aziz Taher

Schools prepare for both scenarios

Schools are facing the same uncertainty.

Several schools in southern Lebanon outside areas exposed to bombardment are preparing to open for the new academic year, but they are not assuming in-person learning will remain possible throughout it.

One private school in Nabatieh told parents it was preparing to “adopt in-person learning whenever security conditions allow.”

The message reflects a broader effort by schools to prepare for either in-person or remote teaching, depending on developments on the ground.

The approach is also in line with the Education Ministry’s plan for the 2026-27 academic year, which seeks to keep education running according to conditions in each area: in-person teaching where safety and preparedness allow, and remote learning in areas affected by the security situation.

Between school and home, safety comes first

Some families have made the opposite calculation, choosing remote learning as the safer option.

Leila’s children had been attending a secondary school in Toul, in the Nabatieh district. She decided to move them to another school in Zebdine after their former school said it would return to in-person teaching next year, while the new school announced it would continue remotely.

“I’ll keep them with me at home,” she said. “That will feel safer to me.”

People shelter at a school, which is hosting displaced people, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Lebaa, Lebanon, March 15, 2026. REUTERS/Raghed Waked

The Tarhini family made a similar choice from abroad.

They left for Africa after the war broke out and enrolled their children in a Lebanese school offering remote learning while they waited for the situation to stabilize.

“The political and battlefield developments do not bode well, and it seems the war will undoubtedly return,” the father said, adding that the family’s decision gave him greater peace of mind for now.

Arab World

Barrack: Israeli Strike on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur Base Sought to Bait Türkiye

Abu al-Duhur airbase following strikes, Syria, August 18, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
Abu al-Duhur airbase following strikes, Syria, August 18, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
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Barrack: Israeli Strike on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur Base Sought to Bait Türkiye

Abu al-Duhur airbase following strikes, Syria, August 18, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
Abu al-Duhur airbase following strikes, Syria, August 18, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer

The Israeli strike on the Abu al-Duhur military base in northern Syria near the Turkish border last Tuesday, may have been intended to provoke Ankara and is considered a “very dangerous game,” US Special Envoy to Syria and Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack said on Saturday.

Eight Israeli airstrikes hit the airbase early Tuesday, targeting the runway and storage facilities, Syria’s state-run Al-Ikhbariya had reported.

In response, Ankara accused the Netanyahu government of using “cheap politics” for electoral gain and seeking to portray Türkiye as a new threat.

According to Barrack, the incident escalated from another Israeli strike in Syria into a moment that could have triggered a far more dangerous regional confrontation.

The ambassador invoked the downing of a Russian jet in late 2014 that escalated regional tensions.

In a YouTube interview with podcast host Mario Nawfal and in comments to PBS NewsHour, Barrack said the incident in which Israeli jets, without advance warning, struck the airbase in Syria - around 80 kilometers east of the Turkish border - intended to “bait” or provoke Ankara.

He described a situation in which fighter jets operate near a border without coordination or warning as a “very dangerous game.”

Last Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office described the airstrikes as a warning to Türkiye against expanding its military presence in Syria or helping rebuild the Syrian armed forces.

In return, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told Axios that Damascus had previously informed Israel there were no plans to establish a Turkish military base at Abu al-Duhur, which was being rehabilitated for use by the Syrian Air Force.

For its part, the Turkish presidency rejected the Israeli allegations as “baseless,” accusing Netanyahu of promoting them ahead of Israel’s October elections and calling on the international community to curb Israeli actions threatening regional peace and stability.

Barrack said Israel might have received intelligence indicating Turkish military personnel or military assets could be stationed at the Syrian base.

According to Barrack, Israel raised the concern with the United States about six days before the strike.

“We have some intelligence that there might be Turkish movement into this site, which we would be very concerned about,” Barrack said about the message delivered to Washington.
Barrack then confirmed reports that Mossad chief Roman Gofman had spoken with al-Shaibani several days before the strike to convey Israel’s concerns. He described the talks as a two-hour, in-depth conversation.

Despite those contacts, Israeli forces struck the base’s runways without Türkiye receiving advance warning of the operation.

Scenarios of Israeli Strikes on Abu Al-Duhur Base

According to Barrack, one possibility that led to the strikes on Abu al-Duhur is that “the Israelis were baiting the Turks.”

He directly linked this possibility to Israeli politics, saying that the strike may have been a “very aggressive but maybe a well-received pre-election concept.”

He added that another possible reason for the attack on Abu Duhur was a miscommunication between the Israeli military and the country’s intelligence agency.

Barrack said it was likely that Israel had intelligence suggesting Türkiye may be bolstering its presence in the area and “a commander somewhere in the field made a decision ‘We’re not going to let that happen’... What they didn’t do is tell us or Türkiye.”

Barrack said the Turkish leadership exercised “maximum restraint and patience” when they saw Israeli aircraft, and that they did not allow tensions to escalate into direct conflict.

He told PBS NewsHour that Türkiye had explicitly stated it has no aggressive intentions or posture toward Israel and does not want to participate in any military operation or direct conflict. “What the Turks want is a sovereign and independent Syria, and that is what we, Israel, and all the countries of the region want,” he said.

While the American diplomat acknowledged “Israel's legitimate security concerns,” he stressed that diplomacy and maintaining open channels of communication “are a priority under the current circumstances.”

Cheap Politics

For its part, Ankara said the Netanyahu government is seeking to portray Türkiye as a new threat as part of “cheap politics” aimed at gaining an electoral advantage.

Türkiye's Communications Directorate on Friday warned that Israel's increasingly aggressive threat rhetoric poses serious risks to regional and global stability.

It said the “cheap politics” pursued by Netanyahu and his associates, which it said was also designed to secure an advantage in elections, has no resonance in Israeli society, the region, the international community or Türkiye.

The directorate strongly rejected remarks by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office concerning President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The office on Friday called Erdogan an “antisemitic dictator.”

The directorate described the comments as an “impertinent rant” devoid of historical facts and political seriousness and another sign of the desperation of an administration seeking to evade accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.