Following the significant toll of the Gaza war on Hamas, the weakening of Hezbollah’s position in Lebanon, and the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and amid renewed U.S. engagement with Iran over its nuclear program, the Middle East is entering a period of profound transition. The conflict that erupted in October 2023, pitting Israel against Iran and its so-called “Axis of Resistance,” has triggered far-reaching shifts in regional calculations. Lebanon has been especially affected, as Hezbollah’s longstanding role within this axis has further enmeshed the country in the region’s broader confrontations.

With southern Lebanon having served as a key frontline in the war, pressing questions are emerging about its implications for Hezbollah’s domestic standing, Iran’s strategic footprint in Lebanon, and the trajectory of the Axis of Resistance itself. Will Iran continue to support its regional allies and proxies as it reassesses its postwar posture? How are internal Lebanese dynamics adjusting to these regional shifts? And what role might international actors play as they reconsider their strategies for engagement, deterrence, and diplomacy in this evolving context?

To address these questions, the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center is hosting a virtual panel discussion on April 29, at 4:00 pm, EEST Beirut time (UTC+3)/ 9:00 am EST. The speakers are Hamidreza Azizi, visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), Nancy Ezzedine, research fellow at the Clingendael Institute, and Michael Young, senior editor at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut and editor of Diwan, Carnegie’s Middle East blog. The event will be held in English and moderated by Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director for research at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center.

This panel is part of a broader series of discussions that aim to explore Lebanon’s path forward at a pivotal moment in its history, one marked by the emergence of new leadership, the convergence of multiple crises, and the mounting challenges that continue to shape the country’s future.

Viewers are invited to submit questions to the panelists via the live chat feature on Facebook and YouTube. For more information, please contact Najwa Yassine at najwa.yassine@carnegie-mec.org.