Lebanon has remained unyielding on how it handles Syrian detainees in its prisons, even as Damascus and Beirut work to improve relations following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

A year after suffering its most severe blow in decades, Lebanon’s Hezbollah showed that its grassroots base remains intact and capable not only of defying government decisions but also of turning political pressure into an opportunity to showcase its street power.

As pressure mounts on Hezbollah from both inside Lebanon and abroad, the group’s deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem made a striking overture to Riyadh, urging Saudi Arabia to turn the page and rally around a common enemy: the Israeli Occupation.

Less than six months after stepping down as Lebanon’s prime minister, Najib Mikati is facing an international investigation over allegations of financial corruption and illicit enrichment.

Baghdad’s ability to resist Iranian pressure is under scrutiny after reports that a senior Iraqi official rejected a request to channel money to Hezbollah via Syria, leaving open the question of whether the cash could yet reach Lebanon.