Syrian occupation of Lebanon

Syrian occupation of Lebanon
Syrian occupation of Lebanon
Part of the Syrian intervention in the Lebanese Civil War
	Clockwise from top-left: Column of Syrian armoured vehicles entering Lebanon; Column of tanks and armoured personnel carriers in Beirut; Syrian soldiers in Beqaa Valley, 1986; BMP-1 armoured vehicle in Lebanon; Syrian commandos in Lebanon, 1982; Abandoned Syrian T-55 tank, 1982;
Type	Military occupation
Location	Lebanon
Commanded by	Hafez al-Assad (1976–2000); Bashar al-Assad (2000–2005)
Date	31 May 1976 – 30 April 2005; (28 years, 10 months, 4 weeks and 2 days)
Executed by	Ba'athist Syria
Outcome	Syria occupies northern and eastern Lebanon; Syrian Army withdraws from Lebanon on 30 April 2005 under the orders of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad;
Casualties	Estimated 30,000–65,000 Lebanese civilians directly killed by Ba'athist Syria More than 30,000 Lebanese civilians forcibly disappeared;

The Syrian occupation of Lebanon lasted from 31 May 1976, beginning with the Syrian intervention in the Lebanese Civil War, until 30 April 2005. This period saw significant Syrian military and political influence over Lebanon, impacting its governance, economy, and society.

During the occupation, tens of thousands of Lebanese civilians were abducted and forcibly disappeared in Ba'athist Syrian prison camps. The whereabouts of an estimated 30,000 of them remain unknown. The occupation ended following intense international pressure and the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. The legacy of the occupation continues to influence Lebanese-Syrian relations and Lebanon's internal political dynamics.