Mistrust and fear: The complex story behind strained Syria-Lebanon relations

BEIRUT: Over the past year, significant events have unfolded along the Lebanon-Syria border. The rapid advance of Islamist insurgents in Syria resulted in the overthrow of longtime autocrat Bashar Assad, leading to the installment of a new government in Damascus. In Lebanon, a devastating war with Israel inflicted a major blow to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed and Assad-supported Shiite Lebanese militant organization that had an influential role in the region.