Thousands gathered in Beirut Friday to mark 20 years since the assassination of ex-premier Rafic Hariri, and to call for the return of his son Saad to political life.

Rafic Hariri, a billionaire and towering political figure who oversaw Lebanon's reconstruction after the 1975-1990 civil war, had recently resigned as premier when he was killed on February 14, 2005.

In 2022, a UN-backed court sentenced two Hezbollah members in absentia to life imprisonment for the massive suicide bombing that killed him and 21 others, though the group has refused to hand them over.

His son Saad was thrust into the political limelight following his father's murder, widely attributed to Damascus and Hezbollah, which triggered massive protests that drove Syrian troops out of Lebanon after 29 years of occupation.

Saad Hariri, who has since served three times as prime minister, is based in the United Arab Emirates, but returned for the annual commemorations to a changed Lebanon.

Hezbollah, once a dominant force, is now badly depleted after its recent war with Israel and the ouster in Syria of Bashar al-Assad.

In a speech to a crowd of supporters at his........

© Al Monitor