Nasrallah sees opportunities for small gains while Jerusalem is distracted, but there are larger forces pushing the group's aggressive behavior on the border

Terror group's candidate for president in parliamentary vote to end power vacuum trailed behind rival after first round of ballots cast

Beirut has not had a functioning government since May, and currently operates in a limited caretaker capacity under Prime Minister Najib Mikati

Aoun's successor is to be chosen at a time when Lebanon is going through an economic meltdown and the government struggling to implement necessary structural reforms

New legislature ushered in as Lebanon remains in the grip of the worst economic crisis in its modern history; parliament includes no majority coalition