President Aoun visited Saudi Arabia 9 Jan and Qatar 11 Jan; relations with Gulf states have been strained since Jan 2016 Cairo summit when Lebanese FM refused to sign Arab League statement condemning Iran and Hizbollah. Hizbollah rejected Syria ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey late Dec over demand for withdrawal of all foreign fighters from Syria; together with regime forces 26 Dec launched attack on main Damascus water source Wadi Barada (see Syria). Senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader 3 Jan denied Hizbollah withdrawal from Syria. Security forces 21 Jan reported foiled suicide bombing at Beirut café.

PM Saad Hariri 18 Dec announced formation of thirty-minister cabinet bringing together representatives of country’s major political parties. Hizbollah holds two seats in cabinet; close allies of Hizbollah Gebran Bassil and Yacoub al-Sarraf hold foreign affairs and defence portfolios respectively. Cabinet also includes new anti-corruption and women’s affairs ministries. Hariri said new govt’s top priority to “preserve security against the fires ravaging our region”. Ahead of parliamentary elections due May 2017 – first in eight years – Hariri said new govt will prepare new electoral law, traditionally source of significant disagreement among political factions about representative system. Army conducted raids in al-Qasr in NE by Syrian border 27 Dec after a soldier was killed previous day.

Following his 31 Oct election by parliament as president, Michel Aoun nominated Sunni-backed Saad Hariri, whose endorsement of Christian Aoun was critical in breaking deadlock, as PM after consultations with lawmakers. Hariri’s efforts to form new cabinet ongoing. Hizbollah 11 Nov celebrated “Martyr’s Day” with unprecedented military parade in Syrian town al-Qusayr, site of its first victory in Syria in 2013, showcasing heavy weaponry including tanks, anti-aircraft missiles and armoured vehicles. Lebanese Army 25 Nov arrested eleven alleged Islamic State members including local commander in military operation in outskirts of Arsal.

Parliament 31 Oct elected leader of Free Patriotic Movement Michel Aoun president of Lebanon, ending presidential vacuum after 45 failed attempts to elect president since May 2014. Breakthrough came after former PM Saad Hariri 20 Oct endorsed Aoun, who is Maronite Christian and Hizbollah ally, for presidency, in order to “protect Lebanon … protect the state and protect the Lebanese people”. Eight Syrian nationals detained on terrorism charges 19 Oct; alleged targets included UN peacekeeping forces, tourists.

Parliament failed to elect new president for 44th time 7 Sept due to lack of quorum. Speaking at UNGA 22 Sept, PM Salam urged international community to devise plan for “safe and honourable return” of over a million Syrian refugees to prevent Lebanon from “collapsing”. Intermittent security incidents continued including roadside bomb in Zahle 31 Aug targeting supporters of Shiite Amal movement allied to Hizbollah and Damascus; one person killed, eleven wounded. Three people injured by bomb in Beqaa Valley village 6 Sept; four suspects arrested, one of them purportedly linked to Druze Tawhid party founded by pro-Assad former Minister Wiam Wahhab. Army 22 Sept announced arrest of local Islamic State (IS) leader accused of terrorist activities near Palestinian refugee camp Aïn el-Helweh in south. Several injured 19 Sept in armed clashes involving Lebanese and Syrian refugees in Dawhet Aramoon, south of Beirut. Authorities 16 Sept reportedly uncovered assassination plot against Druze leader Walid Jumblatt.

Visiting Egyptian FM Sameh Shoukry 16-17 Aug met with counterpart and Lebanese political parties, expressed concern over lack of president and resulting political vacuum and offered support to find compromise. Election of president postponed again early Aug until 7 Sept due to lack of quorum in parliament. One person killed, eleven wounded in bomb attack in Beqaa Valley 31 Aug. Armed forces continued raids of Syrian refugee camps on Beqaa Valley, arresting dozens 22 Aug over suspicious activity, lack of proper identification. U.S. 9 Aug delivered $50m military aid package to help Lebanon fight militant threat from Syria, bringing 2016 total military aid to $220m. Hizbollah early Aug reported it had deployed hundreds of reinforcements to Aleppo to support Syrian regime fighting rebels (see Syria). UNSC 30 Aug extended mandate of UNFIL peacekeeping force in south for another year.

Interior ministry sources reported that the eight perpetrators of suicide bombing in Al-Qaa 27 June were Syrian nationals, who all came from inside Syria, mainly from Raqqa, blamed on Islamic State (IS). Bombings exacerbated already strained relations between Lebanese and over 1mn Syrian refugees country is currently hosting. Governor of Baalbek al-Hermel reportedly imposed curfew on Syrians living in Al-Qaa and surrounding villages starting late June, while Lebanese forces repeatedly cracked down on refugee camps since attack arresting hundreds, most on charges of staying illegally; media also reported attacks against Syrian refugees.

Six people killed and dozens wounded in series of suicide bomb attacks in mainly Christian village Qaa close to Syrian border in north east 27 June; with Islamic State suspected of being behind attacks, senior military commander called for stricter security along border. Bomb targeted HQ of Blom Bank in central Beirut 12 June causing damage but no fatalities; many politicians and analysts suspected Hizbollah, which has previously verbally attacked central bank over its compliance with U.S.’s Dec 2015 Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act (HIFPA). Hizbollah 24 June said it would send more fighters to support Syrian regime in Aleppo province (see Syria); also said 36 Hizbollah fighters killed in Aleppo fighting earlier in month.

Top Hizbollah military commander Mustafa Badreddine killed in explosion in Damascus 12 May, representing most important loss for Shiite party since 2008 assassination of former commander Imad Mughniyeh. Hizbollah initially blamed explosion on Israeli airstrike, 14 May accused takfiri/jihadi groups of assassination; 20 May vowed to strengthen its presence in Syria. Govt held municipal elections over four rounds, country’s first election in six years, in line with constitutional deadline. In Beirut, list led by former PM Saad Hariri and backed by governing elite, including Hizbollah, Amal Movement and the Lebanese Forces, defeated Beirut Madinati (Beirut My City) list, comprised of experts and activists, by less than 7,000 votes. Turnout in Beirut was low at around 20%, compared with close to 50% in Bekaa, Dahiyeh and the South, where ruling parties were entrenched – notably Hizbollah and Amal movement, whose alliance won vast majority of seats in various municipalities in predominantly Shiite areas. In Tripoli, where turnout was also low, list backed by resigning Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi won overwhelming majority of seats dealing major blow to his former close ally Saad Hariri, and other Tripoli leaders. Elections revealed flaws of Lebanese Forces-Free Patriotic Movement recent alliance, which was successful in some areas, however the two major Christian parties failed to agree in other regions, or their coalition did not win majority of seats.

Heightened fears of major escalation of fighting in largest Palestinian refugee camp Aïn el-Helweh following assassination of senior Fatah security official in car bomb attack in Saida 12 April. Month saw series of clashes between Fatah and radical Islamists in Aïn el-Helweh; Fatah member killed in gunfire 1 April. Efforts of Palestinian groups to contain deteriorating situation challenged by internal rivalries including within Fatah, radicalism stoked by al-Qaeda and Islamic State, financial pressures on UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and Palestinian refugees’ longstanding grievances. Court 8 April re-sentenced former Information Minister Michel Samaha, arrested in 2012 on terror charges and released on bail in Jan, to thirteen years’ prison; retrial followed Samaha’s original shorter sentence handed down by military tribunal May 2015 after he confessed to transporting explosives. Parliament again failed to elect new president 18 April due to lack of quorum. Army reportedly killed leader of Islamic State in Arsal 28 April.