Ayman Mhanna: 'Lebanon has become the theatre for a war between Israel and Iran'
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Lebanon has become a battleground for Israel-Iran war while struggling to control armed groups like Hezbollah.
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Ayman Mhanna, Executive Director of the Beirut-based Samir Kassir Foundation, argues that Lebanon has become a proxy battleground between Israel and Iran, with the conflict unfolding on Lebanese soil. Mhanna acknowledges that Lebanon has demonstrated capacity in humanitarian aid distribution and coordination with international institutions, but says the country lacks structural ability to exercise political sovereignty over armed non-state actors, particularly Hezbollah. This inability to control Hezbollah undermines Lebanon's internal legitimacy and international credibility at a critical moment. The assessment underscores how Lebanon's fragmented political system and the dominance of armed groups outside state control have made it vulnerable to being drawn into regional conflicts beyond its direct control.
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