Intense Efforts Exerted to Contain Fallout from Mount Lebanon Unrest

Lebanese President Michel Aoun receives at the Baabda presidential palace State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib and Lebanese Democratic Party chief MP Talal Arslan. (NNA)
Lebanese President Michel Aoun receives at the Baabda presidential palace State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib and Lebanese Democratic Party chief MP Talal Arslan. (NNA)
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Intense Efforts Exerted to Contain Fallout from Mount Lebanon Unrest

Lebanese President Michel Aoun receives at the Baabda presidential palace State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib and Lebanese Democratic Party chief MP Talal Arslan. (NNA)
Lebanese President Michel Aoun receives at the Baabda presidential palace State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib and Lebanese Democratic Party chief MP Talal Arslan. (NNA)

Lebanese leaders scrambled on Monday to contain the repercussions of the shootout in the town of Kfar Matta, where two bodyguards of State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib were killed when his convoy came under fire on Sunday.

Asharq Al-Awsat learned that the army carried out several raids in search of suspects and that one person was arrested pending investigations into the case.

Meanwhile, the country’s Supreme Defense Council, which includes the president and security chiefs, held an urgent meeting and took “decisive” measures to restore security to the area and bring to justice those involved.

Leader of the Progressive Socialist Party former MP Walid Jumblatt said on Monday the weekend’s unrest “was not born of the moment, but rather the result of accumulations that started in Choueifat.”

In May 2018, clashes erupted between supporters of the PSP and the Lebanese Democratic Forces, led by MP Talal Arslan, in the Choueifat region in Aley, killing one PSP member.

The PSP has accused Arslan of protecting the suspect and of smuggling him across the border into Syria.

Gharib is a political ally of Arslan, who is close to Hezbollah and the Syrian regime.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s unrest may help in easing the strain in relations between Hariri’s Mustaqbal Movement and the PSP following the recent eruption of a political dispute between them.

“What is important for the movement is that understanding and dialogue prevail among all political forces, particularly between us and the PSP,” Mustaqbal politburo member and former MP Mustafa Alloush told Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday.

PSP senior media officer Rami Rayess said that even in the worst situations, the party had never disassociated itself from the historic relations it enjoys with the Mustaqbal.

“Contacts with the Mustaqbal are moving forward and we continue to exert efforts to restore the relationship with the movement and with its leader, Hariri, who is exerting immense efforts to contain the repercussions of the recent unrest,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Meanwhile, a senior member of the March 14 alliance told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Syrian regime and its allies were seeking to “single out Jumblatt and drag the Mount Lebanon region towards major strife.”

He warned that Sunday’s unrest was more than just a random clash, but reveals that Lebanon and its unique identity in the region were under threat.



Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.