The Lebanese army has succeeded in securing the city of Tripoli following the widespread emergence of Islamist organizations and movements there in the absence of the state and its institutions. The step was lauded by all political parties as a chance for the Lebanese army to show its readiness to fight terror organizations. Its strength was boosted by some recently acquired capabilities in addition to its accumulated expertise since the unrest of Nahr al-Bared in May 2007, the first confrontation between the army and terrorist organizations.

The recent security events have undoubtedly confirmed that the Lebanese Sunni community — particularly in Tripoli — does not offer fertile soil for terrorism. However, this does not mean that Lebanon is safe from the dangers from the east, coming from countries such as Syria and Iraq.

A well-informed military source affiliated with Hezbollah, which is also fighting these jihadist organizations at home, in Syria and in the Bekaa Valley, told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “Today, one can confidently say that the Lebanese army is the most powerful force on the ground.”

He added, “How did Hezbollah benefit from its missile arsenal in its battle against Jabhat al-Nusra and other jihadist factions? Hezbollah has spent years preparing for a certain type of battles, and today it is facing a battle on a completely different level. The party used to lead guerrilla wars against Israel, while today these same wars are being waged against it. … The party has lost to a great extent the freedom to take an initiative and make a choice on the battlefield.”