Levant in May 2026: the most important developments in politics
The Levant in May 2026 was dominated by diplomacy over the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel and Lebanon held a third round of direct talks in Washington in mid-May. Israel said before the round that it would not commit to a full ceasefire, and afterward said an Israeli withdrawal was not under discussion before Hezbollah disarms. On 15 May US officials announced a 45-day extension of the ceasefire, with the two sides reported to be nearing a deal on Hezbollah disarmament. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Lebanon wants peace but not normalization with Israel. Hezbollah rejected direct talks and called them an illusion. By 31 May Lebanon was clinging to diplomatic hope as Israel expanded its operations. France requested an extraordinary UN Security Council meeting, and Egypt accused Israel of seeking to impose a new military reality. Israel-Lebanon negotiations were to continue at the Pentagon.
The Lebanon front became tied to negotiations between the US and Iran. Iran set a one-month deadline for the US to end its naval blockade and military operations in Iran and Lebanon. Reports on 28 and 29 May said a US-Iran memorandum of understanding would include a Lebanon ceasefire, while an Israeli source said it preserved Israel's freedom of military action in Lebanon. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Hezbollah threats against the Lebanese government would fail.
In Syria, President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Salam in Damascus on 9 May, the first visit by a Lebanese prime minister since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, and the two discussed border security. Al-Sharaa issued decrees for the first cabinet reshuffle since the change in leadership and removed his elder brother from an influential post. Trials of members of the former government began, including Assad's cousin Atef Najib. The European Union moved to restore ties with Syria and lifted sanctions on its defense and interior ministries. Syria held legislative elections in the Kurdish-majority northeast on 24 May, and Tom Barrack ended his role as US special envoy to Syria on 31 May.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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