Artículos

How can we make sense of the fact that, despite the existence of this other Lebanon beneath the ground, Hezbollah suffered such a devastating defeat, lost entire ranks of its fighters, and brought about the deaths and displacement of the people of southern Lebanon? It even contributed to reshaping and fragmenting the country’s geography itself. A speech by Hassan Nasrallah, in which he declared that he was searching for the Israeli soldier “with a lantern and a wick,” revealed to me not merely a passing political exaggeration, but an entire architecture of imagined power. What we are witnessing is not simply a gap between rhetoric and reality, but a deeper flaw: an unrealistic perception of capability itself. The power that Hezbollah projected through its network of tunnels and vast missile arsenal failed to “capture a single soldier” or alter the rules of engagement. The outcome is the reality we are living today.

Monday, August 3, was dominated by the fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement the previous day that he had called off the large-scale strikes against Iran that had been planned for the weekend. Trump had previously said the operation would be “the most powerful since World War II.” On Monday morning, Trump announced that talks with Iran would take place later that evening. But Tehran was quick to contradict the White House. Speaking through the Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Teheran said it was not engaged in talks with Washington, insisting that its only discussions were with Oman over the division of responsibilities in the Strait of Hormuz.

Once again — and for the umpteenth time (the previous instances on this front are too numerous to count!) — President Donald Trump announced in the early hours of Sunday, August 2, the "cancellation" of the "large-scale" attack that had been described as "imminent" against the Iranian regime. In recent days, the US Administration had fueled — through extensive media fanfare — an atmosphere suggesting that a major attack targeting the Islamic Republic's energy infrastructure was planned for that weekend. The announcement of these large-scale military operations was accompanied by statements from President Trump and senior American officials condemning the conduct of Iran's leaders and denouncing, in very harsh terms, their negative attitude and deceptive behavior during talks with US negotiators.

The war in Ukraine continues to be at the center of a wide-ranging debate, fueled in part by near-daily bombardments targeting key nerve centers on both sides, and more specifically the Russian and Ukrainian capitals. In order to better understand the various dimensions of this long-standing conflict, it is necessary to revisit the background and origins of what led to this (fratricidal?) war—by examining the motivations and aspirations of the different parties involved, including the West (the United States and Europe, extended to all NATO member countries with the exception of Turkey), and by recalling the early stages of the Russian offensive and the failed attempts to achieve peace, or at least negotiations, bearing in mind that responsibility in this context is shared by many.

At pivotal moments in history, a nation’s strength is measured not only by its military capabilities, but also by the caliber of those who represent it. High-stakes negotiations are not merely technical discussions about maps or security arrangements. They are a test of a state’s ability to defend its historical narrative while shaping its future. It is in this context that Ambassador Simon Karam stands out as one of the leading figures of Lebanese diplomacy. His authority rests neither on eloquence nor media visibility, but on quiet composure, rigor, and the integrity of a statesman who measures success by what he accomplishes for his country rather than for himself.

Some people submit to fate, while others take their destiny into their own hands. That is all the more difficult when the person is a woman in a world dominated by men. And yet… some women refused to yield. They chose to fight, breaking the taboos and conventions of their time. Throughout history, countless women have refused to be mere footnotes in the story of humanity. Whether they wielded a paintbrush, a pen, science, or their voice, they left their mark on their era with a boldness that was sometimes considered scandalous. Society wanted them to be muses; they became creators. It demanded obedience; they chose freedom. It sought to silence them; they spoke even louder and with even greater conviction.