[UNLOCKED] Lebanon Pt. 1: Resisting Occupation w/ Hussein Assaf

Mar 17, 2026

Hussein Assaf, Beirut-based journalist with Vocal Politics who reports on Lebanon and West Asia, provides on-the-ground analysis of Israeli strikes, displacement, and infrastructure damage. He discusses Hezbollah’s social role in the south, Lebanon’s sectarian political system, U.S. influence on appointments, and the information and psychological warfare shaping regional narratives.

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INSIGHT

Displacement Aims To Make South Lebanon Unlivable

Israel's displacement orders target South Litani, southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs, making large areas intentionally unlivable.
Assaf cites destroyed water pipelines, attacks on medical personnel, and troops massing up to 100,000 on the border to enable occupation.

INSIGHT

Sectarian Quotas Shape Lebanon's Power

Lebanon's political system is sectarian and quota-based per the Ta'if agreement, dividing top posts among Sunnis, Shias, and Maronites.
Hezbollah was excluded from disarmament in 1991 as a resistance group, giving it a unique legal-political status today.

INSIGHT

Elite Politics Undermine Hezbollah's Position

U.S. pressure and local elites have weakened Hezbollah's political alliances and installed a president and prime minister with little popular base.
Assaf argues these officials legitimize Israeli attacks and push for Hezbollah disarmament, risking internal fracture.

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This is an unlocked version of the episode "Lebanon Pt. 1: Resisting Occupation w/ Hussein Assaf."

In Part 1 of our new series on Lebanon, Hussein Assaf joins us to discuss the ongoing assault on Lebanon by Israel and the United States. Hussein Assaf is a journalist with Vocal Politics based out of Beirut.

Our conversation begins with an update on the ongoing assault on Lebanon by Israel and backed by the United States. We then talk about the political forces at play in Lebanon, giving a brief history of the political makeup of the country to help put the current assault in context. We talk about Hezbollah and the relationship it has with the Islamic Republic, unpacking the common talking point in the West that Hezbollah is an Iranian "regime" proxy and instead providing a more appropriate analysis (and in doing so, giving insight into how the United States treats its proxies). We close on a discussion on the information and psychological warfare that is a part of the US and Israel's assault on West Asia and on its own populations at home.

Just a quick note: this episode is a bit of a non-traditional Part 1 to a series as it goes into a bit more depth into current events and is not as focused on a providing a more complete historical context for Lebanon like our other series do. If you want to understand what's happening at the moment, this is a great starting point. In the future we will provide even more historical context and take deeper dives into Lebanon's history and politics.

Further resources:

Related episodes:

Listen to our ongoing series on Lebanon
Listen to our ongoing series on Iran
Listen to our ongoing series on Palestine
Listen to our ongoing series on China

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