A photograph taken from the Israeli side of the border with Lebanon shows destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon on April 15, 2026. (Credit: Jack Guez / AFP) /
No one expected it. The late-afternoon announcement on Wednesday of a possible imminent cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah came as a surprise. And as soon as the first reports began circulating, each side sought to claim “victory.”The Lebanese state quickly emphasized that the breakthrough was the result of unprecedented direct talks held the previous day in Washington between Lebanese and Israeli representatives. On the Hezbollah side, the response was immediate, with the movement asserting that Iran was behind the diplomatic opening. What is emerging is a battle of narratives that reflects a deeper question: the balance of political power in Lebanon after the 2026 war.The leaks came barely 24 hours after preliminary talks between Lebanon’s ambassador in Washington, Nada Mouawad, and her Israeli counterpart, Yechiel Leiter. This...
No one expected it. The late-afternoon announcement on Wednesday of a possible imminent cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah came as a surprise. And as soon as the first reports began circulating, each side sought to claim “victory.”The Lebanese state quickly emphasized that the breakthrough was the result of unprecedented direct talks held the previous day in Washington between Lebanese and Israeli representatives. On the Hezbollah side, the response was immediate, with the movement asserting that Iran was behind the diplomatic opening. What is emerging is a battle of narratives that reflects a deeper question: the balance of political power in Lebanon after the 2026 war.The leaks came barely 24 hours after preliminary talks between Lebanon’s ambassador in Washington, Nada Mouawad, and her Israeli counterpart, Yechiel Leiter....
