Paula Astih

Paula Astih
Arab World A man points at a building damaged by Israeli strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, March 28, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Stringer

Destruction from Two Wars Strains the Lebanese State

A pattern of systematic destruction pursued by Israel in the current war is becoming clearer by the day, extending in both context and objectives from the…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World 23 March 2026, Lebanon, Chaat: A Hezbollah flag is seen fixed to the debris after an Israeli airstrike that targeted a residential home in Chaat. (dpa)

Hezbollah Escalates its Rhetoric, Threatens Lebanese Govt

Leading Hezbollah officials decided to escalate their rhetoric against the Lebanese government, threatening to take new political approaches after the war,…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World A displaced young girl who fled with her family Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, eats an apple at a playground school that turned into a shelter in Beirut, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

War Deepens Lebanon’s Economic Collapse

Lebanon’s economy barely catches its breath before another crisis hits, tightening the squeeze and deepening its fragility. The current war has wiped out…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World A man walks amid the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardment in Beirut’s Zokak el-Blat district near the city center (Reuters)

Israel Targets Hezbollah-Linked Financial Interests

Israel has stepped up its operations against Hezbollah in recent days, escalating on multiple fronts in response to the group’s intensified attacks into…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Features Damage after a rocket fired by Hezbollah toward Nahariya (Reuters)

What Remains of Hezbollah’s Military Arsenal?

The rockets that Hezbollah continues to fire, since its decision to join what it calls a support war for Iran, have surprised observers with their intensity…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World A child plays during a visit by Lebanon’s Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine to Maroun Abboud Secondary Public School, which is hosting displaced people, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Aley district, Mount Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon, March 15, 2026. (Reuters)

War Disrupts Education in Lebanon, Deepening Inequality Among Students

Lebanon’s education system is struggling to survive an unprecedented crisis as war forces hundreds of thousands from their homes. Many schools have been…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World Lebanese soldiers check the identity of a man in Marjeyoun, southern Lebanon. (Reuters file)

Lebanon’s Weapons Monopoly Efforts to Shape International Support for the Army

The understanding between the quintet committee for Lebanon and President Joseph Aoun over the planned conference in support of the army has raised questions…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World Supporters of Hezbollah hold portraits of its general secretaries on the first anniversary of the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah. (Reuters file)

Aoun, Hezbollah Ties Cool as Contacts Stay at Minimum

Relations between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Hezbollah have grown visibly strained, with contacts confined to what ministerial sources described as …

Paula Astih (Beirut)