Arab League drops designation of Hezbollah as terrorist organization

This significant shift comes after a visit by Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki to Beirut, where he met with Hezbollah leader Muhammad Raad. The meeting marks the first official contact between the two parties in over a decade.

Zaki attributed the decision to a change in the League's approach, stating they "do not maintain terrorist lists" and will not use such designations moving forward.

Previously, in 2016, the Arab League, with reservations from Lebanon and Iraq, had classified Hezbollah as a terrorist organization due to concerns about extremism and regional interference. This classification mirrored a similar move by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The announcement coincides with heightened tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border. Hezbollah has linked its attacks on Israel to the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza. (ILKHA)