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Friday

Lebanese citizens return to their homes heavily damaged by Israeli attacks, after Israeli forces withdraw from the area in An-Naqoura, Lebanon, on Thursday.

Lebanese citizens return to their homes heavily damaged by Israeli attacks, after Israeli forces withdraw from the area in An-Naqoura, Lebanon, on Thursday. Ramiz Dallah/Anadolu via Getty Images hide caption

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Ramiz Dallah/Anadolu via Getty Images

Middle East crisis — explained

Lebanese long to return to war-damaged homes, but Israeli troops remain — for now

Lebanese residents waiting to return to their villages say the Israeli military has destroyed nearly everything.

ISRAEL WITHDRAWS SLOWLY FROM LEBANON

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Wednesday

For years, the hatching of sea turtles has attracted curious viewers from all over Lebanon, but on Sept. 8, 2024, only a handful made it to the Mansouri Beach in Tyre, despite attacks by Israel on the southern border.

For years, the hatching of sea turtles has attracted curious viewers from all over Lebanon, but on Sept. 8, 2024, only a handful made it to the Mansouri Beach in Tyre, despite attacks by Israel on the southern border. Tamara Saade for NPR hide caption

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Tamara Saade for NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

Another casualty of Israel's war in Lebanon: Efforts to save endangered turtles

Lebanese volunteers are anxious to get back to sea turtle conservation on southern beaches that were off-limits to civilians when fighting escalated between Israel and Hezbollah.

In the shadow of war, volunteers save endangered sea turtles on Lebanon's beaches

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Thursday

Palestinians celebrate after US President-elect Donald Trump's announcement of hostage deal between Israel and Hamas , in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis, Gaza on January 15, 2025.

Palestinians celebrate in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's announcement of hostage deal between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday. Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images hide caption

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Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images

Analysis

Middle East crisis — explained

How the Gaza war has remade the Middle East

What began as a battle between Israel and Hamas morphed into a much wider regional conflict that has reshaped much of the Middle East.

Here's what's in the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas

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Thursday

People gather to celebrate after Lebanese parliament elects army chief Joseph Aoun new president, on Thursday, in Beirut, Lebanon.

People gather to celebrate after Lebanese parliament elects army chief Joseph Aoun new president, on Thursday, in Beirut, Lebanon. Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu via Getty Images hide caption

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Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu via Getty Images

World

Lebanon chooses a new president after two years without one

Lebanon's parliament chose the head of the country's armed forces, Joseph Aoun, to be its next president, a post that's been vacant since October 2022.

Lebanon chooses new president after two years without one

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Monday

DERDGHAIYA, Lebanon, 12/01/24 Lebanese officials say eight people were killed in an October airstrike on this 19th century Greek Catholic church in the village of Derdghaiya. The Israeli military confirmed the airstrike, but said it was targeting what it calls terrorists, who embed near or underneath cultural heritage sites.

Lebanese officials say eight people were killed in an October airstrike on this 19th century Greek Catholic church in the village of Derdghaya. The Israeli military confirmed the airstrike, but said it was targeting terrorists who it says embed near or beneath cultural heritage sites. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

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Ayman Oghanna for NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

What the Israel-Hezbollah war did to Lebanon's cultural heritage sites

Part of a Crusader castle crumbled. An 18th century minaret felled. Church mosaics burned. Archaeologists are assessing damage to UNESCO World Heritage Sites from Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Syria.

LEBANON-SYRIA-ANTIQUITIES

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Saturday

Suleil Hamawi is pictured at home. He spent 32 years in prison in Syria before being freed after Bashar al-Assad's ouster.

Suleil Hamawi is pictured at home. He spent 32 years in prison in Syria before being freed after Bashar al-Assad's ouster. Emily Feng/NPR hide caption

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Emily Feng/NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

After 32 years and 5 days, a father and son reunite after Syrian prisoners are freed

The fall of the Assad regime in Syria has freed thousands of people detained in Syria's notorious prisons. Some of them have made it back home. Other families are still looking.

After 32 years and 5 days, a father and son reunite after Syrian prisoners are freed

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Friday

Khalil Moussa Shoumar, 55, stands in the rubble that is left of his home. Shoumar is an auto parts seller whose house in Nabatieh was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes twice, in 2006 and again now.

Khalil Moussa Shoumar, 55, stands in the rubble of his home. Shoumar is an auto parts seller whose house in Nabatieh was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes twice, first in 2006 and again in October. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

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Ayman Oghanna for NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

What Syria means for Hezbollah's efforts to rebuild Lebanon

With a ceasefire in place, Hezbollah wants to rebuild Lebanon. But its supply chains across Syria have been weakened by Israeli airstrikes, rebel fighting and the ouster of its ally Bashar al-Assad.

What Syria means for Hezbollah's efforts to rebuild Lebanon

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Monday

Rafaat Nasrallah smokes a cigarette in his village on the Syria-Lebanon border. “We are at the border,” he says, “our roads lead to Syria, because for us Syria is my country as well as Lebanon.”

Rafaat Nasrallah smokes a cigarette in his village on the Syria-Lebanon border. "We are at the border," he says, "our roads lead to Syria, because for us Syria is my country as well as Lebanon." Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

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Ayman Oghanna for NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

In Lebanon, villagers on the border watch Syria's revolution with unease

While Syrian refugees in Lebanon return home, many Lebanese remain on edge. Years of conflict have left the Syria-Lebanon borderlands scarred, and fears grow that instability could spill over again.

Wednesday

Residents walk amid the destruction in the southern Lebanese village of Zibqin on November 27, 2024, as people who had fled the war between Israel and Hezbollah returned to check on their homes after a ceasefire between the warring sides took effect.

Residents walk in the southern Lebanese village of Zibqin on Wednesday, as people who had fled the war between Israel and Hezbollah returned to check on their homes after a ceasefire took effect. Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images

Middle East crisis — explained

The world welcomes the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, but worries remain

Celebratory gunfire rang out in Beirut to mark the start of a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah to end almost 14 months of fighting.

Tuesday

A first responder looks for survivors at the scene of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in the Beirut southern suburb of Burj al-Brajneh on Tuesday.

A first responder looks for survivors at the scene of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in a southern suburb of Beirut on Tuesday. -/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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-/AFP via Getty Images

Middle East crisis — explained

Ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militants has begun

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect at 4 a.m. Wednesday local time. Israel agreed Tuesday to the ceasefire to stop the war it's been fighting with the Iran-backed militant group for over a year.

Monday

Jad Deeb, a volunteer of the Lebanese Popular Aid Society, talks with other volunteers on the balcony of their office in Beirut, Lebanon. October 28, 2024.

Jad Deeb, center, and other first responder volunteers talk on the balcony of their office in Beirut. One of his colleagues affixes a patch to Deeb's shirt, indicating his blood type. Ali Khara for NPR hide caption

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Ali Khara for NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

Lebanon's first responders say Israeli strikes target them as they work to save lives

More than 200 emergency and medical workers have been killed since last October, Lebanon's health ministry says. Many believe Israel's military is targeting them in its war against Hezbollah.

Friday

Maggie Shaarawi, vice president of Animals Lebanon, tries to calm Sara the lion cub in Beirut before the animal is transferred out of the country, on Thursday.

Maggie Shaarawi, vice president of Animals Lebanon, tries to calm Sara the lion cub in Beirut before the animal is transferred out of the country, on Thursday. Ali Khara for NPR hide caption

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Ali Khara for NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

Animal rescuers evacuate a lion cub from war-torn Lebanon to South Africa

The group Animals Lebanon says it rescued Sara the lion cub from abuse by a Lebanese social media influencer, kept it safe in Beirut and sent it to a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa.

Amid airstrikes, an animal rescue mission in Lebanon sends a baby lion cub to safety

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Thursday

A foreign worker from Thailand rests after he was evacuated from Metula following a rocket strike from Lebanon, that killed four foreign workers from Thailand and one Israeli citizen on October 31, 2024 in Kfar Yuval, Israel.

A worker from Thailand rests after he was evacuated from Metula following a rocket strike from Lebanon that killed four laborers from Thailand and one Israeli citizen on Oct. 31 in Kfar Yuval, Israel. Amir Levy/Getty Images hide caption

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Amir Levy/Getty Images

Middle East crisis — explained

In northern Israel, migrant workers are farming while under fire from Hezbollah

Foreign laborers, many from Thailand, are tending fields and livestock in an area Israel has declared off-limits to its own civilians amid ongoing military operations against Hezbollah.