- Lebanese Civil War - Progression of the war
- Lebanon - Resistance to the ongoing Israeli and Syrian presence in Lebanon
- Palestine Liberation Organization - Expansion and the rise of Yasser Arafat
- history of Lebanon - Civil war
- history of Lebanon - Resistance to the ongoing Israeli and Syrian presence in Lebanon
- Bashar al-Assad - Foreign policy
Why did Syria and Israel become involved in the Lebanese Civil War?
Syria and Israel became involved in the Lebanese Civil War primarily to protect their own strategic interests and manage the influence of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) within Lebanon.12
Syria's Involvement
Syria initially intervened in 1976 at the request of the Lebanese president to prevent the country’s disintegration. However, its primary motivation was to prevent a victory by the Lebanese National Movement and the PLO, which Syria feared would provoke an Israeli attack and draw Syria into an unwanted confrontation with Israel. By launching a large-scale intervention, Syria aimed to redress the balance of power in favor of Christian forces.12
Israel's Involvement
Israel’s involvement was driven by the need to stop PLO guerrilla raids launched from Lebanese territory. Israel armed and financed Christian militias in southern Lebanon, viewing them as allies against the PLO. This culminated in major military actions, including the 1978 Litani River operation and the 1982 invasion, which aimed to secure the border and remove the PLO headquarters from Beirut.12