Paula Astih

Paula Astih
Features Lebanese in Beirut watch Naim Qassem deliver a speech. (Reuters)

What We Know About Hezbollah’s Shura Council

If it is confirmed that Hezbollah’s Shura Council has met and elected Sheikh Naim Qassem as the party’s new secretary-general, this would indicate two…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World A man carries bread to sell at his shop in the southern town of Rmeish (Reuters)

Christians in South Lebanon’s Border Villages Stand Firm with Vatican Reassurances

Intense pressure from residents and local leaders in Lebanon’s southern border town of Rmeish has delayed the withdrawal of Internal Security Forces, just days…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)

Israel Deliberately Targets Medical Teams, Aid Workers in Lebanon

Over the past three weeks, Israel has systematically targeted hospitals, medical staff, aid workers, and ambulances across various regions of Lebanon,…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Features An image of Imad Mughniyeh raised alongside Hezbollah missile launchers during a military drill in southern Lebanon. File photo

Hezbollah’s New Strategy: Gradual Escalation, Focus on Ground Combat

Since suffering major setbacks on September 17, the day its communication systems were targeted, Hezbollah appears to have outlined a new military strategy for…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World Head of Hezbollah's political council Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed. (Sayyed's website)

Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Collective Command Will Lead Hezbollah Until End of War

Reports have emerged that Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed, the head of Hezbollah's’ political council, may be named successor to the Iran-backed party’s Secretary…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World A Lebanese child injured in an Israeli airstrike lies in a hospital in Sidon, Lebanon (AFP)

Lebanese Health Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Hospital Capacity in Lebanon is Decreasing Daily

Lebanon’s Ministry of Health is focused on creating plans to delay hospitals from reaching full capacity, especially in heavily bombarded areas in the country…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Features Hezbollah fighters carry one of the coffins of four fallen comrades who were killed Tuesday after their handheld pagers exploded, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP)

Doubts Cast over Hezbollah’s Ability to Wage Wide-scale War against Israel

Israel’s cyberattacks against Hezbollah’s communication network this week has cast doubt on the Iran-backed party’s ability to wage a wide-scale war against…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World The ambassadors of the Quintet countries meet at the French Embassy in Beirut. (French Embassy)

Quintet Committee Resumes Efforts to Resolve Lebanon’s Presidential Deadlock

After a complete pause in efforts to resolve the vacuum in Lebanon’s presidency over the summer, the ambassadors of the international Quintet Committee resumed…

Paula Astih (Beirut)