How Lebanon Fell Into Civil War: From State Failure to the Ehden Massacre Between 1973 and 1978, Lebanon moved steadily toward collapse, laying the foundations of a long and brutal civil war. The failure of the Lebanese Army in 1973 to dismantle Palestinian armed presence exposed the weakness of the state and accelerated the arming of political militias. Tensions deepened after the assassination of MP Maarouf Saad in early 1975, before erupting into full-scale war following the Ain al-Rummaneh b

Lebanese Civil War 1975–1976: What Triggered the First Explosions? The early phase of the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1976) remains one of the most contested chapters in Lebanon’s modern history. This episode examines the political tensions, militia expansion, urban battles, and regional pressures that reshaped Lebanese society. By revisiting the start of the conflict, we explore how power struggles, social inequality, and foreign involvement created the conditions that ignited nationwide violence.