Israel Withdraws from Lebanon
May 30, 2000
Israeli military forces retreat from southern Lebanon due to extended conflict with the anti-Israeli faction, Hezbollah, but hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah continue.
Syria Withdraws from Lebanon
June 30, 2001
After Lebanese criticism of Syrian troop presence, soldiers vacate Beirut and redeploy in other parts of Lebanon.
Oil Pipeline Agreement
December 30, 2001
Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan agree on a $1 billion oil pipeline project.
The Arab Peace Initiative
March 1, 2002
The Beirut Declaration, more widely known as the Arab Peace Initiative, is endorsed by the Arab League to bring cooperation between Arab states as well as a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel rejects the resolution plan.
Israel & Hezbollah Fight
September 1, 2003
Hezbollah and Israel exchange artillery attacks, bombings, and gunfire, 3 years after Israel retreated from southern Lebanon.
UN Calls on Syria to Withdraw from Lebanon
April 8, 2004
UN Security Council demands that Syria remove its troops from Lebanese borders. Syria refuses.
Hariri Killed in Beirut
February 11, 2005
Former Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri is killed in Beirut. Washington points to Syrian influence. Lebanese activists kick-start the Cedar Revolution, a mass protest for Syria to vacate its soldiers from Lebanon.
Syria Withdraws from Lebanon
April 11, 2005
Damascus withdraws its armed forces from Lebanon.
Hezbollah Attacks Israel
July 29, 2006
Hezbollah attacks Israel from southern Lebanon, killing Israeli soldiers and abducting two prisoners of war.
Israel-Hezbollah War
July 30, 2006
Israel responds to Hezbollah assaults with 34-day war. 1,100 Lebanese and 160 Israelis are killed, and 1 million Lebanese are displaced. Hezbollah’s fighters became heroes to anti-Israeli sympathizers throughout Middle East.
Palestinian Infighting
May 30, 2007
Through September, intense infighting between Islamist movement Fatah al-Islam and government forces at the Palestinian refugee camp Nahr al-Bared.
Israel-Hezbollah Prisoner Exchange
July 28, 2008
Israel and Hezbollah agree to exchange Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners, along with the remains of deceased fighters, for the remains of fallen Israeli soldiers.
Pro-Western Politicians Win Parliament
June 30, 2009
Cedar Revolution-inspired, pro-Western politicians win parliamentary elections and form a coalition government in Lebanon.
Hazbollah Calls for Tribunal Boycott
October 31, 2010
Hezbollah calls for Lebanon to boycott UN Hariri tribunal, claiming the procedure is “in league with Israel.”
Government Collapse
January 31, 2011
Lebanese government collapses after Hezbollah and sympathetic ministers resign.
Lebanese Cabinet Dominated by Hezbollah
June 30, 2011
Prime Minister Najib Mikati forms cabinet dominated by Hezbollah.
EU Names Hezbollah as Terrorists
July 31, 2013
EU designates the military wing of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
700,000 Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
September 30, 2013
UN refugee agency reports that there are 700,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Refugees Are 1/4 of Lebanese Population
April 30, 2014
UN reports that there are over 1 million Syrian refugees registered in Lebanon, meaning one in every four people living in Lebanon is now a refugee.
Israel Launches Air Strikes
January 31, 2015
Israel launches air strikes on Syrian side of Golan Heights, killing Hezbollah fighters and an Iranian general. Clashes ensue along Israeli-Lebanese border.
The Trash Crisis Begins
July 31, 2015
Government officials close the Naameh landfill, where all of Lebanon’s waste has been dumped since 1991. The Trash Crisis begins as garbage begins to pile up in the streets and the government fails to find a solution.
IS Attacks in Lebanon
November 30, 2015
IS launches two suicide bombings that kills 41 people in deadliest bomb attack since the end of the civil war.
Temporary Solution for Trash Crisis
March 30, 2016
After eight months of trash crisis and protests, the Lebanese government reopens one landfill and sets up two new ones, predicting that it will solve the problem for four years while a more permanent solution is found.
Hezbollah Retaliates Against Lebanon
March 30, 2016
Three Kuwaitis are found dead in Lebanon, just after it joined several other Gulf states in calling Hezbollah a terrorist organization and issued a travel advisory.
After much delay, Lebanese parliament adopts new electoral law
June 16, 2017
The Lebanese parliament meets to ratify a new electoral law to improve representation for religious minorities through proportional representation, replacing the majoritarian principle that has governed elections since Lebanon’s independence. This law also addresses the issues of the passing down of power between political elites to avoid reform and in theory gives independent candidates more influence in elections.
Hezbollah and the Syrian Army rid border of Islamist insurgents
July 21, 2017
Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Syrian army launch a joint-offensive to drive Nusra insurgents out of a key territories along the Syrian-Lebanese border.
Prime Minister resignes
November 4, 2017
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri rescination his decision to resign at the request of President Michel Aoun. al-Hariri blamed Iran and Hezbollah for his resignation and implied there was an assassination plot against him. The reversal of his decision comes after all members of government vowed to stay out of conflicts in other Arab countries.
Christian Parties & Hezbollah Win Seats, as PM Movement Weakens
May 6, 2018
Lebanon holds its first parliamentary elections in almost a decade. Despite the increase of civil society groups, the results point to a clear victory for establishment elites of all political parties. Additionally, Christian parties and the Hezbollah coalition emerged stronger while the prime minister’s movement suffered. The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections recorded over 7,000 violations on election day, in spite of the new legislation passed on elections.