Lebanese Civil War

Lebanese Civil War
Ron Garrison · Public domain · source
Conflict	Lebanese Civil War
Date	13 April 1975 – 13 October 1990
Place	Lebanon
Result	Taif Agreement; Syrian occupation until 2005; Disarmament of most militias except Hezbollah; Consolidation of sectarian political system
Combatant1	Lebanese Front (1975–82):, Kataeb Party, Al-Tanzim, Tigers Militia, Lebanese Forces (from 1976), South Lebanon Army (from 1978), Free Lebanon State (1979–84), Army of Free Lebanon (1976–77), Guardians of the Cedars, Marada Brigade (until 1978), Syrian Social Nationalist Party (until 1978), , Israel (from 1978), , International support:, United States, France
Combatant2	Lebanese National Movement (1975–82):, Progressive Socialist Party, Amal Movement (from 1976), Syrian Social Nationalist Party (from 1978), Communist Party of Lebanon, Arab Socialist Union, Al-Mourabitoun, Palestine Liberation Organization, , Jammoul (from 1982):, Amal Movement, Progressive Socialist Party, Syrian Social Nationalist Party, Communist Party of Lebanon, Hezbollah (from 1985), , International support:, Syria, Iran, Libya
Commander1	Bachir Gemayel, Amine Gemayel, Samir Geagea, Etienne Saqr, Saad Haddad, Antoine Lahad, Menachem Begin, Ariel Sharon
Commander2	Kamal Jumblatt, Walid Jumblatt, Nabih Berri, George Hawi, Ibrahim Kulaylat, Yasser Arafat, Hafez al-Assad, Abbas al-Musawi

Lebanese Civil War. The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted armed conflict that devastated Lebanon from 1975 to 1990. It pitted a complex array of sectarian militias, foreign armies, and political factions against one another, fundamentally reshaping the country's demographic and political landscape. The war is conventionally considered to have begun with the Ain al-Rummaneh massacre in April 1975 and ended with the implementation of the Taif Agreement and the surrender of the Lebanese Forces militia in October 1990.

Background and causes

The roots of the conflict lay in the fragile National Pact of 1943, which established a confessional political system distributing power among Maronite, Sunni, and Shi'a communities. Demographic shifts favoring the Muslim population, coupled with the presence of armed Palestine Liberation Organization factions after the Black September events of 1970, severely strained this system. Economic disparities, the regional context of the Arab–Israeli conflict, and the interventionist ambitions of neighboring Syria and Israel created a volatile pre-war atmosphere. The incident often cited as the immediate catalyst was an attack on a bus carrying Palestinians in the suburb of Ain al-Rummaneh.

Major phases and events

The war evolved through several bloody phases, often marked by shifting alliances. The early "Two Years' War" (1975–76) included the Battle of the Hotels and the Karantina massacre, leading to Syrian military intervention under the banner of the Arab Deterrent Force. The 1978 Israeli invasion of Lebanon (Operation Litani) established the South Lebanon Army proxy. A major escalation was the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon (Operation Peace for Galilee), which culminated in the Siege of Beirut, the Sabra and Shatila massacre, and the deployment of a Multinational Force in Lebanon. Subsequent phases saw the War of the Camps between Amal Movement and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the brutal Mountain War, and the final "War of Liberation" against General Michel Aoun's government.

Foreign involvement

The conflict was profoundly internationalized. Syria under Hafez al-Assad intervened directly in 1976 and maintained a dominant military and political presence, clashing with forces like the Lebanese Forces and later Michel Aoun. Israel invaded twice, allied with the South Lebanon Army, and fought prolonged campaigns against the Palestine Liberation Organization and later Hezbollah. The United States, France, and Italy formed part of the Multinational Force in Lebanon, suffering major losses in the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps helped establish Hezbollah, while Libya under Muammar Gaddafi and the Soviet Union provided support to various leftist and Palestinian factions.

Impact and casualties

The human and material cost was catastrophic, with an estimated 120,000 to 150,000 fatalities and tens of thousands more wounded. It created a massive refugee crisis, displacing nearly a quarter of the pre-war population and permanently altering the sectarian geography of Beirut and Mount Lebanon. The country's infrastructure, including the Beirut Central District, was largely destroyed. The war was infamous for horrific massacres such as Damour, Sabra and Shatila, and the War of the Camps, alongside widespread use of child soldiers and systematic disappearances.

Aftermath and legacy

The war formally ended with the Taif Agreement, brokered by Saudi Arabia and endorsed by the Arab League, which adjusted the National Pact but entrenched sectarian power-sharing. Syrian military occupation continued until the 2005 Cedar Revolution, and Hezbollah remained armed, citing resistance against Israel. The state's authority was weakened, corruption endemic, and the economy shattered, contributing to future crises. The war's legacy is a fragmented national memory, a fragile political system, and unresolved issues like the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, investigating the 2005 assassination of Rafic Hariri.

Category:Wars involving Lebanon Category:20th-century conflicts Category:Civil wars of the 20th century