The assassination of Rafic Hariri nearly 20 years ago marked a pivotal turning point in Lebanese politics. It sparked the Cedar Revolution, a mass protest movement, primarily driven by Christians and Sunnis, that ended nearly decades of Syrian control over Lebanon. Hariri, a prominent Sunni leader, had cultivated strong relationships with the West and Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia. His assassination, widely blamed on the Syrian regime and Hezbollah operatives, ignited widespread public outrage. Under increasing pressure from the international community, particularly the United Nations, and facing domestic protests, Bashar Assad withdrew his troops from Lebanon in April 2005.

However, the withdrawal revealed deep-seated sectarian tensions that had long been simmering beneath the surface. Hezbollah and Amal, another powerful Shiite political bloc, organized counterdemonstrations. They rallied the Shiite population against the anti-Syrian movement. Many Shiites perceived the Cedar Revolution as an effort by Sunnis and Christians to curb their rising influence.