The Decibel Why Israel’s war with Iran is spreading to Lebanon
18 snips
Mar 13, 2026 Mark MacKinnon, senior international correspondent with on-the-ground Middle East reporting, offers firsthand coverage from Lebanon. He maps how fighting has spread across Beirut and southern Lebanon. He describes mass displacement, rising sectarian strain, Israel’s buffer-zone aims, and why Lebanon’s institutions struggle to contain Hezbollah.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Why Hezbollah Opened A Northern Front
- Hezbollah opened a northern front in Lebanon two days after the US-Israel strike on Iran, acting as Iran's proxy despite domestic Lebanese opposition.
- Mark MacKinnon reports Hezbollah felt compelled to act fearing an eventual US-Israel incursion into Lebanon, prioritizing preemptive response.
Dahia And Southern Border Are Primary Targets
- Israel's campaign has concentrated on the Dahia and the southern border belt, seen as Hezbollah strongholds, while strikes are spreading into central Beirut.
- MacKinnon describes evacuation orders pushing hundreds of thousands toward Beirut's center, spreading chaos.
The Jarring Rhythm Of Beirut Airstrikes
- Mark recounts nights awake listening to drones, fighter jets and explosions while other mornings he'd wake to read overnight strikes on the Dahia.
- He describes Beirut's partial normalcy: some days quiet, some nights filled with reconnaissance drones.