“Inside Lebanon: A War Within the War”

The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim
Sky News | March 25, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Yalda Hakim (reporting from Beirut) and Richard Engel (in Tel Aviv) dive deep into the ongoing, multifaceted crisis in Lebanon—a war within the larger regional conflict involving Israel, Iran, and the United States. Against a backdrop of intensifying violence and humanitarian disaster, they examine Israel’s shifting objectives, Lebanon’s fragmentation, the regional and geopolitical stakes, and the motivations and maneuvers of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. The hosts leverage firsthand reporting, exclusive interviews, and regional expertise to provide nuanced frontline analysis and highlight the human cost.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Netanyahu’s Strategy – “Not Just Another War”

[03:14-11:50]

• Exclusive Access: Richard details his high-stakes, in-person exchange with Benjamin Netanyahu, clarifying Israel’s war objectives and their complex interplay with American interests.

  • Richard recounts:
    “We only had a tiny bit of notification. … They had something clearly to say to the foreign media.” [03:14]

• Israeli War Goals:

  • Netanyahu claims Israeli aims are broader than the U.S.’s: decimate Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs; not just “regime change.”
  • Netanyahu:
    “We wanted…decimate the ballistic missile program…decimate the nuclear program…Those are goals that are achievable, but I’m not going to put a schedule or stopwatch on it.” [04:42]

• Who’s Leading Whom?

  • There’s U.S. domestic skepticism that “Israel dragged America into another war.” Netanyahu forcefully refutes this, arguing the U.S. leads the campaign.
  • Netanyahu:
    “This canard that we dragged the United States into—it is not just a canard. It's ridiculous…What do you think would have happened if America did not act now? … Just imagine … Khamenei still alive, would have ordered the beginnings of the new nuclear program.” [05:10]
  • Richard:
    “He was trying to say clearly and emphatically, we’re not driving this.” [06:57]

• Long-Term Vision:

  • Netanyahu floats a grand regional strategy—restructuring regional oil supply routes to bypass choke points, integrating pipelines through Israel.
  • Netanyahu:
    “I have argued…what has to be done is to have alternative routes…oil pipelines going west through the Arabian Peninsula right up to Israel, right up to our Mediterranean ports. … That is definitely possible. …a real change that will follow this war.” [09:08-10:11]

2. The Trump Administration’s Moves: Ultimatums & Market Maneuvering

[11:50-20:59]

• Trump’s Fluctuating Posture:

  • The U.S. president oscillates between hardline ultimatums (threats to bomb Iranian infrastructure) and abrupt negotiation overtures.
  • Yalda:
    “What we’re seeing from the US President…is that he is looking for some kind of off ramp to wrap this up…declaring victory one minute and then saying the next minute that he’s going to be managing and controlling the Strait of Hormuz.” [14:03]

• Military Escalation and Delays:

  • Marines are still deploying in the region—Trump’s shifting timelines interpreted as tactics to buy time, manipulate oil markets, and manage headlines.
  • Richard:
    “‘He set a time at 7:44pm Eastern…there was, the rockets were going to fly and…oil infrastructure was going to burn.’” [17:43]
  • Israeli sources to Yalda:
    “I’d approach this cautiously—with a grain of salt. It’s early Monday in the US…the start of the trading week…[Trump] has bought a few more days…until the Marines arrive and complete their initial deployment…” [15:55]

• Market Dynamics:

  • Trump’s announcements are timed for maximum economic impact—“He likes to call reporters…he set the five day time limit because the US stock markets are closed over the weekend to coincide with a workweek.” [17:43]

3. International Mediation: Why Pakistan?

[19:50-23:34]

• Expanding Negotiation Circles:
  • Pakistan and Turkey surface as potential mediators. Yalda offers a nuanced breakdown:
    • Pakistan: Large Shia population, close ties to both Iran’s regime and U.S./Saudi leaders, symbolic value given mutual respect with new Iranian leadership.
    • Trump has good personal relations with Pakistani officials; Pakistan positions itself as a neutral, invested party.
  • Yalda:
    “Pakistan is part of a handful of countries that…has a good relationship with the Iranian regime…Pakistan has, after Iran, the biggest Shia Muslim community on the planet…They also have a defense pact with the Saudis. …so they need this resolved.” [21:54-23:34]

4. Lebanon’s Ongoing Calamity: A War Within the War

[24:53-36:27]

Humanitarian and Strategic Crisis [24:53-29:28]

• Beirut Under Siege:

  • Over 1 million displaced—20% of Lebanon’s population.
  • Strikes now hit central Beirut, not just the southern suburbs; nowhere feels safe.
  • Yalda:
    “Scenes like what we saw in 2024, families sleeping in their cars, families trying to take shelter…What feels different is how random the attacks are.” [26:14, 27:54]
    “Another building went down…but it’s just minutes away from downtown Beirut…” [28:12-28:39]

• Hezbollah’s Decapitation:

  • Top Hezbollah leaders killed; but Israeli strikes continue as Hezbollah is seen regrouping/rearming.
  • The conflict intensifies after Iran’s supreme leader was killed—Hezbollah rockets rain into Israel, full-scale warfare resumes.

Israel’s Objectives in Lebanon: Carving a Buffer Zone? [29:28-31:14]

• Occupation or Security?

  • Israeli ground troops crossed into south Lebanon in 2024, intended as a “temporary” measure. Now the language is changing—permanent border realignment, destruction of infrastructure, intent to “carve off a piece” of southern Lebanon.
  • Richard:
    “They’re blowing up the bridges over the Latani river, and…I saw this extraordinary image of a man from the south bringing all of his farm animals into Beirut. Is that what it feels like there?” [29:28]

• Fragmented Lebanese Society:

  • Shia community targeted and stigmatized; deep fear over longer-term displacement; concerns that hosting Shia families could make hosts targets of Israeli strikes.
  • Declining ability of government to control events or protect civilians.

• Government Calls for Diplomacy:

  • President Aoun (a former general, critic of Hezbollah) appeals for negotiations, decries Hezbollah’s actions but faces a divided nation.
  • Yalda:
    “There are many Lebanese who are divided on the question of Hezbollah. There’s a lot of anger…for dragging the country back into this conflict. …The decision to enter this war was an Iranian decision. It wasn’t a Lebanese decision. It wasn’t a Hezbollah decision.” [31:41]

Risks of Sectarian Dismemberment [33:55-35:50]

• Sectarian Fault Lines:

  • Fragile “power-sharing” system in Lebanon (president: Christian; PM: Sunni; speaker of parliament: Shia) created by the post-civil-war settlement is under strain.
  • Removal/decimation of Hezbollah leaves Shias politically vulnerable.
  • Richard:
    “Their third share was always kind of the weakest piece…and then Hezbollah’s gone and they’re being targeted. There is a possibility you are restirring the sectarian pot in a country that has had a lot of terrible burns…because of that.” [35:50]

• Potential for a Prolonged Humanitarian Crisis:

  • As the U.S. and Iran seek an exit, Lebanon may remain mired in violence and collapse.
  • Yalda:
    “There is concern that this is going to turn into a war of attrition and we’re going to lose interest in this if Iran and the United States find a way to negotiate out of this mess. But that might not happen here for the Lebanese.” [35:50]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Netanyahu, on why Israel pushed for war:
  “There’s always a danger in acting, but in conditions of existential threats, there’s a much greater danger in not acting. … You know, just wait. Wait and let them do it.” [05:10-06:26]

• Yalda, on Lebanon’s devastation:
  “A million people, 20% of this country’s population…have now been displaced. … What feels different about this particular time … is how random the attacks are.” [26:14, 27:54]

• Richard, on U.S.-Israeli alignment:
  “Do Israel and the United States have the same goals? I can’t see that they could. … But I think all of the parties…are probably united in somehow seeing a benefit in the destruction of this Islamic revolutionary empire the government of the Ayatollahs had created.” [11:50]

• Yalda, on U.S. market tactics:
  “He’s just trying to manipulate the markets, which is very much in line with what Israelis were saying to me, that this is Donald Trump’s attempt to buy himself time, whether it’s for the Marines or…market control…” [15:55]

• Yalda, on Pakistan’s involvement:
  “The Supreme Leader was killed, we saw all those protests…people dying…in Pakistan. … Pakistan has, after Iran, the biggest Shia Muslim community on the planet.” [21:54]

Timestamps for Critical Segments

• [03:14 – 11:50]
  Netanyahu interview and strategic objectives
• [14:03 – 20:59]
  Trump’s ultimatums, military strategy, and market impact
• [21:54 – 23:34]
  Pakistan as a regional mediator
• [24:53 – 31:14]
  Beirut humanitarian crisis, shifting Israeli tactics in Lebanon
• [33:55 – 35:50]
  Sectarian crisis and the risks for Lebanon’s future

Tone & Style

• Candid, urgent, and analytical. Both hosts draw on deep regional experience and first-hand encounters. They balance strategic insight with vivid on-the-ground human stories, keeping the language direct, unsparing, and fact-focused.
• Occasional gallows humor and historical asides. E.g., references to famous books, lived experiences, and the bleak absurdity of war politics.

Conclusion

This episode offers an indispensable primer for anyone trying to understand the tangled new phase of Middle East conflict, the unknown trajectory in Lebanon, and how the ambitions of leaders like Netanyahu and Trump, along with realpolitik and sectarian divides, will shape the region’s fate. The Palestinian issue, Iranian ambitions, U.S. electoral politics, and the lives of millions in Lebanon all collide in a war that’s far from resolved.