{
  "id": 3278855,
  "title": "Lebanon must get ready as Israel and Turkey battle for influence in the Levant",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/lebanon-must-get-ready-as-israel-and-turkey-battle-for-influence-in",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-25T14:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2026/08/25/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-turkey-levant-aoun-erdogan/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lebanon faces growing concerns as Israel and Turkey compete for regional influence. Israeli airstrikes on a Syrian air base last week have been interpreted as a response to Turkey's military build-up, signaling heightened regional tensions. Turkey's President Erdogan has declared Turkey's security sphere extends from Aleppo to Beirut, vowing not to allow attacks on its allied countries. Lebanon must remain vigilant, as it is caught in the crossfire of these geopolitical shifts. The recent Makkah Joint Defence Agreement among Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan aims to counterbalance any hegemonic power, particularly Israel or Iran. Lebanon's leadership is negotiating with Israel for an Israeli withdrawal from the south and the establishment of pilot zones for the Lebanese army to disarm and replace Hezbollah. However, Israel has refused to relinquish control in the border area, maintaining a buffer zone and destabilizing the region through violence and land desolation. This could lead to prolonged displacement of Lebanese Shiite citizens, potentially exacerbating sectarian tensions. Turkey's President Erdogan supports strengthening the Lebanese army's capabilities to prevent internal disintegration and safeguard the state's right to hold weapons. However, regional polarisation may further entangle Lebanon in political turmoil, potentially drawing greater regional commitment to its stabilization. The real goal for Israel seems to be enforcing unilateral security conditions on a divided Lebanon, rather than negotiating a fair outcome. This could involve imposing security measures in a fragmented country, with Turkey being the most concerned about the fragmentation of its own nation with a significant Kurdish minority. In order to navigate this complex situation, Lebanon should collaborate with efforts aimed at stabilizing the region and maintain connections with all parties involved.",
  "summary": "Last week, Israeli aircraft bombed the Abu Al Duhur air base in Syria. The Israelis initially failed to admit responsibility for the attack, but to a number of observers it was very reminiscent of the attacks in April last year against the Hama and T4 air bases. At the time, these were interpreted as an Israeli effort to prevent the Turkish military from using the bases, amid the rising regional…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Lebanon must get ready as Israel and Turkey battle for influence in the Levant",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/lebanon-must-get-ready-as-israel-and-turkey-battle-for-influence-in-3280112",
        "published": "2026-08-25T14:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}