Lebanon boosts army presence in Beirut as Hezbollah slams Israel talks: What to know
The Lebanese government’s openness to talks with Israel has angered Hezbollah while its efforts to assert authority in Beirut has won praise from Gulf states.
The Lebanese army increased its presence in Beirut on Friday, according to local reports, as Hezbollah and its supporters protested the government’s overtures toward Israel.
The deployment follows the government calling for the imposition of state control in the capital and comes ahead of expected talks with Israeli officials.
What happened: MTV Lebanon reported a “significant deployment” of army forces to Beirut on Friday, including commando units and snipers near the Government Palace.
Images circulating on Lebanese social media showed dozens of heavily armed soldiers in the downtown area.
