Despite war losses, Hezbollah is using the vote as an opportunity to show it still has political influence.
Voters in southern Lebanon participated in municipal elections, seen as a gauge of Hezbollah’s support amid ongoing Israeli strikes despite a late November ceasefire. Hezbollah and its ally Amal are expected to dominate the elections, which come as the group attempts to reaffirm its political influence after significant military losses in the past year. The elections highlight the challenges Lebanon faces in rebuilding after the war, with the government under pressure to disarm Hezbollah and address reconstruction needs exceeding $11 billion.
