Abdulrahman al-Rashed

It’s been about 150 days since Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam took office. On one hand, Lebanon is experiencing its best chapter in two decades. On the other hand, there are concerns about the slow pace of progress – and that another war is on the verge of erupting.

Regardless of whether the fighters on both sides of the Litani River are preparing for a decisive battle – which is unlikely or not—the road is long before Lebanon can fully reclaim its sovereignty from both Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli forces still occupy Lebanese land, and Hezbollah has handed over only a fraction of its weapons – barely the tip of the iceberg.

The repeated rhetoric in both presidents’ speeches about the “Israeli enemy” carries no real weight today, nor is it necessary in modern political discourse.

The bitter truth, for some, is this: it is Israel – not the Lebanese authorities – that will determine the shape of Hezbollah’s future. Israel will define its size, the limits of its capabilities, and its influence.

Neighboring Syria is facing a similar situation, but has chosen a different approach. Bashar al-Assad’s regime has collapsed, just like Hezbollah’s grip has weakened, leaving behind a complex legacy to navigate with the region’s “superpower” neighbor. Israeli forces are also present on Syrian soil and continue to target Syrian sites frequently.

Amid this complex situation, President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government has managed to turn crisis into opportunity – and has........

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