The Day Syria's Foreign Minister Visited Beirut

Syrian Foreign Minister Al-Shaibani's visit to Beirut dominated editorial decisions, with meetings across the political spectrum—Berri, Aoun, Geagea, Gemayel, and Salam—but notably not Hezbollah. Morning headlines framed the visit as a new chapter in bilateral relations, with Aoun expressing comfort in coordination and the government approving a joint Lebanese-Syrian committee. By midday, Gemayel defended the framework accord as constitutional, while Joumblatt refused to join a coalition against it but called it a mistake. Afternoon coverage highlighted Geagea's criticism of Hezbollah and the accord's opponents, alongside a Damascus café bombing that killed five. The day's narrative arc moved from diplomatic embrace to internal accord tensions, with the Syrian visit sidelining Hezbollah and reinforcing state-to-state relations.