South Lebanon votes in municipal elections that will test support for Hezbollah
Residents of southern Lebanon voted Saturday in the country's municipal elections that will test support for Hezbollah in the predominantly Shia areas, months after the end of the destructive Israel-Hezbollah war.
Hezbollah is running in an alliance with the Amal group of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and both are expected to win mayoral races and the majority of seats in municipal councils. Both groups already won many municipalities uncontested.
South Lebanon is the fourth and last district to vote in the elections since May 4. Among those who voted Saturday were Hezbollah members wounded in the Sept. 17, 2024, explosions of thousands of pagers that blew up near-simultaneously in an operation carried out by Israel. More than a dozen were killed and nearly 3,000 wounded.
'The will of life is stronger than death and the will of construction is stronger than destruction,' President Joseph Aoun said during a tour of south Lebanon Saturday. He told reporters in his hometown of Aaichiyeh that he voted for the first time in 40 years.
Saturday's vote came two days after Israel's air force carried out intense airstrikes in different parts of south Lebanon.
Residents of villages and towns on the border with Israel, including the village of Kfar Kila that was almost completely destroyed during the war, cast their ballots at polling stations set up in the nearby city of Nabatiyeh.
Residents of other border villages cast their ballots in the port city of Tyre.
'Southerners are proving again that they are with the choice of resistance,' Hezbollah legislator Ali Fayad, who represents border villages, said in Nabatiyeh.
Lebanon's cash-strapped government has been scrambling to secure international funds for the war reconstruction, which the World Bank estimates at over $11 billion.
Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, one day after a deadly incursion into southern Israel sparked the war in Gaza. Israel responded with shelling and airstrikes in Lebanon that escalated into a full-blown war that left more than 4,000 dead in Lebanon and more than 80 soldiers and 47 civilians in Israel. A US-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late November.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
an hour ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Aoun's Visit to Baghdad Eases Strained Ties between Lebanon, Iraq
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived in Baghdad on Sunday on an official visit for talks with top Iraqi officials. Ties between Lebanon and Iraq had been strained over Aoun's recent remarks about Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The president also did not attend the Arab League summit in Baghdad last month, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam participating instead. However, the reception accorded to Aoun on Sunday eased all tensions. He was warmly welcomed by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at Baghdad International Airport and they later held bilateral talks. At a press conference following their meeting, Aoun quoted Iraq's top Shiite Authority Ali al-Sistani when speaking about the need for authorities to derive lessons from the past and to work on establishing a better future for the people. This work should be based on practical plans for managing the country that are based on competency and integrity, away from foreign meddling and while keeping the possession of weapons limited to the state, he added. Aoun expressed his gratitude to Sudani 'for everything you have constantly offered Lebanon, such as aid in every field.' 'Every Lebanese person now truly believes that during each crisis, they can turn to Iraq that will come to Lebanon's aid in actions, not just in words,' he stressed. For his part, Sudani underlined the Iraqi government and people's 'keenness on supporting Lebanon and strengthening its state institutions.' Iraq supports Lebanon's unity, stability and territorial integrity, he added. A statement from Sudani's office said the leaders discussed bilateral ties and opportunities for cooperation between their countries in various fields. They also tackled regional developments. Aoun expressed his gratitude for Iraq's support to Lebanon, saying he was keen on expanding cooperation to meet the interests of the people in both countries. Aoun also held talks with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid. Aoun is expected to discuss with officials the possibility of Iraq continuing to provide Lebanon with fuel to operate power plants. They will also address security affairs and other issues. In April, Aoun had declared that Lebanon will not replicate the PMF experience in Iraq in Lebanon as part of efforts to merge Hezbollah with the Lebanese army. Hezbollah will also not act as an independent unit inside the army. His remarks had angered Baghdad, which stressed that the PMF is a military institution and part of Iraq's armed forces. Iraq summoned Lebanon's ambassador in Baghdad at the time to protest the statements.
Arab News
12 hours ago
- Arab News
Fighting back against tobacco industry tricks
The Eastern Mediterranean region is witnessing rising trends in tobacco use among women and adolescents and has recorded the highest smoking rates for boys among all World Health Organization regions. In some countries, smoking rates have reached 43 percent among adolescent boys (aged 13-15 years) and 20 percent among adolescent girls. This is no coincidence. It is a calculated move by the tobacco industry to target new markets, using new forms of nicotine such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products to hook the next generation. The industry's cleverly marketed lies, campaigns that use packaging and a multitude of flavors — e-cigarettes are reportedly available in more than 16,000 flavors — are designed to entice the young. In Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, tobacco use among adolescent boys now exceeds 30 percent. In every country in the region, adolescent girls now smoke more than adult women. The statistics speak for themselves, revealing the depth of the tobacco industry's reach. The message is clear: Tobacco use is not just persisting, it is evolving, adapting and aggressively infiltrating the lives of new generations. Recognizing the growing threat, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has launched the 'Tobacco Free Initiative,' which aims to address tobacco use in these demographic groups. The gendered health risks of tobacco use are serious. Women who smoke face increased risks of cervical cancer, osteoporosis, fertility problems and complications when using oral contraceptives. Smoking during pregnancy can lead to preterm births and developmental issues in newborns. For adolescents, early nicotine exposure can lead to a lifetime of addiction, with higher risks of chronic illness and premature death. The initiative supports the WHO's broader strategic goals by advancing people-centered approaches to noncommunicable disease prevention. By addressing nicotine addiction early and highlighting gender and age-specific risk factors, it supports our flagship initiative on substance use. It also strengthens the Accelerated Action for the Health of Adolescents agenda, which considers tobacco control a priority intervention to address preventable mortality and morbidity among adolescents, and aligns with the Global Standards for Health Promoting Schools that advocate for safe, tobacco-free environments. More girls and women are taking up the habit, threatening to reverse decades of progress and exposing new populations to harm. Dr. Hanan Balkhy The narrowing gender gap in tobacco use is of particular concern. Smoking was once a predominantly male behavior. But more girls and women are taking up the habit, threatening to reverse decades of public health progress and exposing new populations to devastating harm. This can be reversed. The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the MPOWER measures provide countries with a proven roadmap that includes raising tobacco taxes, banning advertising, ensuring smoke-free public spaces and offering cessation support. These policies have worked elsewhere. They can work here too. Success will depend on leadership and collaboration. We need governments to step up and regulate emerging products by banning flavors and restricting the use of youth-oriented designs. These are not accidental trends. They are deliberately engineered entry points into addiction. We must also engage communities. Parents, teachers and healthcare providers all play vital roles in prevention and support. Schools must become tobacco-free environments that reinforce healthy behavior. Health systems must provide age and gender-sensitive cessation services, especially for young people and women. To meet the global target of a 30 percent reduction in tobacco use by 2030, we must act now. This epidemic among women and youth cannot be allowed to continue unchecked. The tobacco industry is adapting fast. We must act faster.
Arab News
16 hours ago
- Arab News
Lebanese President Aoun reviews ties, cooperation with Iraqi official
LONDON: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun discussed ties and cooperation with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani during his visit to Iraq on Sunday. Aoun stressed the importance of establishing an Arab mutual interest system to enhance shared interests among Arab countries during his meeting with Al-Sudani. In a separate meeting with Rashid at the Presidential Palace in Baghdad, Aoun commended Iraq's support and donations, including fuel shipments to generate electricity, for the Lebanese people during the recent round of the Israeli-Hezbollah war, which flared up in September 2024. Aoun said that Lebanon and Iraq face the challenge of terrorism, which is being addressed through security agencies in both countries. The two presidents emphasized the urgency to end the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip and to support the Palestinian cause without allowing it to be compromised, according to the NNA agency. Aoun said that Israel must withdraw from the five areas inside the Lebanese territory it has controlled since 2024 and stop its repeated attacks on the country that undermine peace efforts in the region. Rashid affirmed Iraq's support for Lebanon and said that Baghdad views positively the recent developments in the country following the formation of the new government in early 2025.
