Economist Podcasts Beirut watch: can Lebanon subdue Hizbullah?
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May 1, 2026 
Gareth Browne, a Middle East correspondent, examines Lebanon’s uneasy ceasefire, Beirut airport as a symbol of state power, and the slow squeeze on Hizbullah. Josh Roberts, a capital-markets reporter, dives into the Labubu toy mania, resale hype and fading bubble. Ann Wroe, an obituaries editor, remembers Margareta Magnusson and her stark, memorable philosophy of death cleaning.
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Why Lebanon's Ceasefire Survives Through Ambiguity
- Hezbollah emerged badly weakened after Israeli strikes decimated commanders, border strongholds, and parts of its regional apparatus.
- Gareth Browne says the ceasefire survives because each side reads it differently and accepts low-level violations to preserve calm.
Hezbollah's Consensus Argument Is Unraveling
- Hezbollah demands sectarian consensus for peace with Israel while claiming its own unilateral war decision was a legitimate right.
- Gareth Browne says that contradiction now lands harder because Lebanese leaders openly blame Hezbollah for dragging the country into war.
Lebanon Wants To Strangle Hezbollah Economically
- Lebanon now aims to weaken Hezbollah indirectly by criminalising its armed activity and squeezing revenue instead of fighting it outright.
- The strategy targets airports, smuggling, and funding because the army will not confront a still-powerful militia head on.