Sisi's Shadow Mission: Why Egypt's Intel Chief is in Beirut
Egyptian Intelligence Chief Hassan Rashad reportedly launches a clandestine mission to Beirut to broker a "Grand Bargain" for Lebanon.
Egyptian Intelligence Chief Hassan Rashad is reportedly launching a clandestine diplomatic mission to Beirut in a bid to broker a high-stakes "Grand Bargain" for Lebanon. According to reports from the Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper Al-Akhbar, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi directed Rashad to initiate intensive, low-profile contacts with Lebanese political and security leaders to reset the regional landscape to its pre-October 2023 status.
The proposed deal involves a comprehensive cessation of Israeli military operations and a full IDF withdrawal from Lebanese territory. In exchange, the initiative calls for the Lebanese Armed Forces to assume a total monopoly on weaponry within the country, effectively requiring the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Sources indicate that Cairo is also seeking an urgent summit with French President Emmanuel Macron to establish an international framework for the plan, which seeks to stabilize the border and provide significant military support to the Lebanese state.