Lebanon

Lebanon (the Lebanese Republic) is a country on the eastern Mediterranean coast in the Levant, bordering Israel to the south and Syria to the east and north. Its capital is Beirut, and it is governed under a confessional power-sharing system. Southern Lebanon is the focus of recurring conflict involving Israel and Hezbollah.

Lebanon, officially the Lebanese Republic, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia, situated on the eastern Mediterranean coast. It borders Israel to the south and Syria to the east and north. Its capital and largest city is Beirut. The country covers roughly 10,452 km² and has a population estimated at about 5.8 million (2026).

Lebanon is governed under a confessional power-sharing system that distributes top offices among religious communities: the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim, and the parliament speaker a Shia Muslim. As of June 2026, Joseph Aoun serves as president (elected January 2025) and Nawaf Salam as prime minister (since February 2025).

Southern Lebanon is the operational base of Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Shia political party and armed group designated a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and others. The region has been a center of recurring Israel–Hezbollah hostilities. A U.S.-backed ceasefire took effect in April 2026 after renewed fighting; reports describe it as fragile.