Ukrainian strikes have forced Russia to reduce its ammo usage, Oleksandr Syrskyi said.
The Ukrainian commander in chief said Russian shell usage has "practically halved" for months.
Ukraine has been hitting ammo depots, oil facilities, and factories deep inside Russia for months.
Ukraine's military commander in chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Russia has cut down its artillery ammo usage in recent months due to Ukrainian strikes on the Kremlin's production facilities.
"For several months now, the artillery ammunition expenditure rates in the Russian army have practically halved," Syrskyi told Ukrainian broadcaster TSN in an interview released on Sunday.
"Here is a vivid example," Syrskyi added. "If previously the figure reached up to 40,000 rounds per day, it is now significantly lower."
Syrskyi attributed the reduction to Ukraine's attacks on "industrial enterprises" that manufacture ammunition, missile parts, and other weaponry on Russian soil.
His comments come as Ukraine has increasingly reported that it's been carrying out long-range strikes on Russian oil facilities, munitions factories, and ammunition depots across the border.
On Tuesday, Kyiv said it had launched its "largest attack" on Russian targets with missiles and drones, including hits on a fuel storage facility for bombers and a factory that produces rocket parts and artillery ammo.
Russia's defense ministry said that it shot down nearly 150 drones that evening, providing an indicator of the operation's scale.
Ukraine says its attacks on Russian facilities continue, with another reported strike on a gunpowder factory in the Tambov region on Thursday.
Some of its most notable strikes happened when Ukraine attacked three ammunition depots in Krasnodar and Tver in September, areas that are hundreds of miles behind the border.
The UK's defense ministry said at the time that at least one of these depots saw the loss of 30,000 tons of ammunition, saying that the trio of strikes resulted in the largest loss of Russian and North Korean ammunition up to that point in the war.
Any strain on Russia's ammo production and reserves would likely be significant for the war because analysts say it's becoming increasingly clear that the fate of the battlefield hinges on the quantity of weapons and manpower available to either side.
To meet the war's demands, Russia's defense sector has swelled to staggering levels when considering its total spending. Its defense budget grew from $59 billion in 2022 to $109 billion in 2023. The Kremlin is planning to spend about 13.5 trillion rubles, or about $131 billion now, on defense in 2025.
That's nearly a third of its entire federal budget and is up from 10.8 trillion rubles in 2024.
Russia's defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours by Business Insider.
The Gaza ceasefire saw three hostages held by Hamas since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel released on Sunday, along with 90 Palestinian prisoners.
The big picture: The first hostage release since November 2023 saw Israelis Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher and dual British-Israeli national Emily Damar freed, while Israel released a group of prisoners mostly comprising women and minors in the first hostage-for-prisoner swaps to occur since the ceasefire began Sunday.
Friends reach out to British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari as she arrives at Sheba Medical Center, also known as Tel HaShomer Hospital, in Ramat Gan, Israel, on Jan. 19. Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images
A Palestinian prisoner embraces as 90 prisoners set free by Israel arrive in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia, on the outskirts of Ramallah, on Jan. 20. Photo: John Wessels/AFP via Getty Images
This screen grab taken from AFPTV shows one of the Israeli hostages exiting a vehicle to be handed over to the Red Cross during the hostage-prisoner exchange operation in Gaza City on Jan. 19. Photo: AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images
A Palestinian woman cries as she embraces a loved one who was released from jail on Jan. 20 in Beitunia. Photo: Zain Jaafar/AFP via Getty Images
The released Israeli hostages leave a van before boarding an Israeli Air Force military transport helicopter near Reim in southern Israel on Jan. 19. Photo: Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images
The uncle of freed 17-year-old Palestinian prisoner Qassem Jaafra kisses his forehead upon his arrival home in the Silwan neighbourhood in east Jerusalem early on Jan. 20. Photo: Ahmad GharabliH/AFP via Getty Images
Supporters and relatives of hostages held captive in the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas militants, watch a live television broadcast on the release of Israeli hostages, at the Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, on Jan. 19. Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images
Palestinian men waving Hamas (green) and Hezbollah (yellow) flags sit on top of a Red Cross bus carrying released prisoners from Ofer military prison in the occupied West Bank are met by a crowd of family members and friends in Beitunia, outside Ramallah, early on Jan. 20. Photo: John Wessels/AFP via Getty Images
Two days into a family trip, I spiked a 103 fever and didn't feel great.
At the hospital, I was diagnosed with sepsis and felt guilty for ruining my family's trip.
I learned I can't control what happens and should let go of mom guilt.
Two days into a Disney World vacation with my husband Anthony, our two daughters, and my in-laws, I became very sick. With a fever of 103, I shook with chills, ached all over, and dry-heaved repeatedly.
We'd been excited about this trip. Every day before we left, I drew a Disney-themed picture on my 8-year-old daughter's snack bag. I counted the days, with the number eight hidden in Cinderella's castle, Mickey's four-fingered glove, and a glittery two alongside Tinkerbell.
And then, I was in the room feeling guilty while my family explored Magic Kingdom. I'm no stranger to illness. Born with heart disease, I've recovered from four open heart surgeries, but I rolled around the bed moaning in pain. I cried to Anthony on the phone, delirious from the fever, the lorazepam I'd taken, or both.
I didn't think anything was seriously wrong, but I called my cardiology nurse after a few days. She said I likely had a virus, but since my mechanical valve and pacemaker are breeding grounds for bacteria, we should rule out blood infection. She sent me to the emergency room for blood cultures.
Maybe I couldn't register her words through the pain; maybe Anthony was getting me a blanket at that moment because once I was in an exam room, neither of us understood why the clinicians seemed so serious. This was a virus; I was only here as a precaution.
But my pressure was 70/40, my white blood cell count was elevated, and I had an infection somewhere. The culture results would take days, but they treated my symptoms and started antibiotics. Once I could think clearly, the guilt returned.
This wasn't how I'd imagined this vacation. I was supposed to watch my daughters spin around in oversize teacups, not see the room spin around me. Instead of pulling on a hospital gown, I should've been helping my 8-year-old pull on her princess dress. I wanted to be pushing my 4-year-old in her stroller, not being pushed through the hospital on a gurney.
The culture came back positive. I was moved to an inpatient floor, and the guilt festered. I was in the hospital for about a week, but it felt like forever. I cried often β when my kids flew home without me, before every medical test, petrified the results would keep me away from them longer, and each time, my in-laws sent me a picture of their faces.
If I'd paid attention, I would've noticed those smiling faces. While I was wallowing in guilt, they were having the time of their lives.
We made our way through it together
I remained guilty when I returned home and spent four months on IV antibiotics, which ravaged my stomach and kept me curled on the couch for half that time. I was lucky to have my husband home temporarily, my mother, who moved in while I recovered, and extended family and friends willing to help. It killed me that I could hardly take care of my girls, but we found a way. We cuddled while watching TV and played games. They decorated my IV pole for my birthday.
In the end, I didn't need to feel so guilty. My kids are OK. It wasn't easy. My older daughter admitted later that she cried herself to sleep while I was in the hospital. My younger one cried so much before preschool during that time, we pulled her out. It was hard, but so is life. They got through it and learned they had parents who loved them and an entire village willing to care for them when their mother couldn't.
I learned that this ever-pressing guilt we moms carry is futile. I can't control what happens to me. Inevitably, I'll have more medical issues down the line. Maybe my kids will be better prepared to handle it. At least now I know we can get through it together. And I know not only that I love them, sometimes to a painful degree, but that they love me too, even when things are difficult and even if sometimes I ruin their good time.
As a single mother battling mental health issues, she never had the opportunity to go to college or explore her interests. But, after I flew the coop and she got help for her eating disorder, she finally chased her goals.
Like her, I also struggle with mental health issues and found it difficult to put college first.
Together, we overcame our biggest obstacles and achieved our dreams.
My addiction hindered my college journey
While I don't have children, I, too, relate to a non-traditional college journey. I'm in recovery from substance use disorder β a glorious mix of alcohol, drugs, and countless other self-destructive behaviors created a myriad of hurdles to my education for a decade.
As anyone on a recovery journey knows, substance use disorders are usually accompanied by undiagnosed mental health issues or personality disorders. We often think it's easier to self-medicate than to ask for help.
This life outlook makes "simple" tasks like finishing homework and going to class feel impossible. I took college courses on and off, binge drinking and bartending until 2 a.m.
I dropped out of school more times than I can count, finally graduating with a degree in business administration at age 28.
Motherhood and mental health issues got in the way of my mom's dreams
Mom always wanted to be a counselor because she genuinely enjoys helping others, but she couldn't prioritize education as a single mom with limited support. Mom went back to work when I was six weeks old while also juggling childcare and undiagnosed mental health issues.
A single parent living paycheck to paycheck rarely has the luxury of time to peruse college admissions pamphlets or the countless hours needed to fill out financial aid forms or write scholarship essays β not to mention how challenging life can be with mental health struggles, leaving little room for motivation to flourish.
But when she finally put herself first in her 50s and dealt with her eating disorder, she met a treatment counselor. My mom figured she was a seasoned veteran based on her age. Apparently, this woman returned to college later in life, ultimately inspiring my mother to do the same.
Mom now works in her dream career as a substance abuse counselor, while I also work in my dream career as a published author and entrepreneur in the sobriety space.
Figuring ourselves out is one day at a time, too.
Our lives have long been intertwined
My mom addressed her eating disorder at the same time I addressed my substance abuse. Going through this shared recovery journey showed us how eating disorders and substance use disorders stem from similar desires to escape reality through self-medication. Her drug of choice was food; mine was alcohol and drugs.
Mom is a strong, independent woman who inspired me to be the same way.
We bring our inclusive approach to recovery to our work, too. We understand that addiction is addiction β whether it's drugs, gambling, shopping, food, or self-harm. Life is freaking hard; many folks don't have the tools or resources to address our various coping skills.
She has some advice for anyone wanting to pursue their dreams
I asked my mom if she had any words of wisdom for someone reading this, thinking about returning to school.
"Make an appointment with an advisor and learn your options. If your advisor isn't helpful, find another one," she told me.
Pursuing education is similar to mental health recovery: It's all about self-advocacy, asking for help, and leaning into peer support.
"Making an appointment with an advisor was easy, but actually going to the meeting was so hard," she continued, "I luckily found an advisor who listened to my goals and mapped out my options. She was one of the most important people in my education."
Through our journeys, we both learned that if you have the right people in your corner, you can achieve anything.
Johan and Sabine Bogaerts left the Netherlands and moved to Thailand to open a beach resort.
The couple says they always dreamed of running their own business instead of working for someone else.
While life now feels "slower, and definitely more fulfilling," Johan, 54, says it's not all play.
In November 2022, Johan and Sabine Bogaerts packed up their lives and moved from the Netherlands to Koh Lanta, an island off the west coast of Thailand, with their two sons.
They had traveled to Thailand countless times on vacation and loved everything about the country, but it was the pandemic that gave them the idea of moving there.
"Life just happens really fast, and we wanted to do something else before it was too late, physically and also mentally," Sabine, 51, a former chef, told Business Insider.
The couple always dreamed of managing something on their own instead of working for someone else.
"We've agreed to change our life a little bit, get out of the rat race, and do something totally different in a beautiful country that we knew already," Johan, 54, a welding engineer, told BI.
"We found this piece of property online. We were interested, and we knew the area since we've been here a few times," Johan said.
The property was located less than 200 feet away from Klong Khong beach, a popular tourist destination on Koh Lanta.
Koh Lanta is part of the Krabi province and is about 45 miles from Krabi International Airport. Visitors can also reach Koh Lanta via a 1.5-hour ferry ride from Phuket.
It was already built like a resort with freestanding rooms but looked dated, with minimal furniture and basic finishings. Due to the pandemic, the original resort had ceased operations, and the humid climate had left the property in a bad state.
Despite that, the couple saw its potential and made their decision during a video call with their agent.
Since foreigners can't own land in Thailand, the couple leased the property for 20 years instead. They declined to share specifics, but estimated that their total costs β inclusive of renovations β came up to about 200,000 euros, or about $206,000.
The couple also said they managed to sell their house in Holland, which helped cover their costs.
Running a resort by the beach
Thailand has long been a popular spot for tourists and expats alike, thanks to its rich culture and relatively low cost of living.
In recent years, it's also been a popular destination for retirees: Thailand was ranked 10th on International Living's 2025 Annual Global Retirement Index.
However, the couple says that they knew they weren't ready to retire and decided to start a business in Thailand.
"I think retiring at 50 would be so boring for us," Sabine said.
"You have to be really comfortable. We were doing OK, but we weren't ready financially to totally retire yet," Johan added.
When they got the keys to the property, the first thing they did was start renovating and getting it up to their own standards.
"We took out some walls, made them bigger, redid all the bathrooms, made new balconies, new paint β everything is brand new," Johan said.
The resort has 16 guest bungalows, a pool, a restaurant and bar, and a laundry area.
Their busiest season runs from the beginning of December until the end of March, since that's when the weather is sunny with less rain. Room rates during the low season are about one-third of the price of the high season, Sabine said.
During the low season, the cheapest room is around 1,100 Thai baht, or about $32. During the high season, the same room can go for around 2,600 Thai baht, or about $75, Johan said.
The couple also employs nine full-time staff, including a receptionist, housekeepers, kitchen staff, and gardeners.
"With us, a deal is a deal, and a time of finishing is the time of finishing, but that's a little bit different here. So, we really have to adapt to that," Johan said.
A "slower, and definitely more fulfilling" life
One of the things they loved most about their lifestyle now compared to back in the Netherlands is that they no longer feel the need to keep up with the Joneses.
"You decide yourself. For me, it's that you're not being driven by something that needs to be done. When we were living in Holland, everything had to be the way things were," Johan said. "You have a lot of possessions and you were only busy trying to maintain and to upkeep all the possessions that you have."
"We have beautiful surroundings. We have many palm trees, and we hear the birds, and we can look at the ocean from here," Sabine said.
However, there are times when they miss the Netherlands, too β especially the weather. Thailand has a humid tropical climate, and the weather is either "hot or really hot" or "raining or not raining," Johan said.
"We do have to say that we miss a little bit of cold sometimes," he said. "We're seasonal people. We grew up in the four seasons, so that's something you tend to miss a little bit."
Even the Christmas season doesn't feel the same anymore.
"We, of course, never ever worn a jacket anymore or proper shoes or trousers," Sabine said, adding that her go-to outfits now are sleeveless tops and shorts.
Work-life balance in Thailand
These days, the couple's routine starts by dropping off their youngest, 7, at school before heading to the resort to check in on things. Their other son, 21, returned to the Netherlands last March.
"It's a little more difficult for him to visit friends sometimes, like he did in The Netherlands, but he loves the beach life here," Sabine said.
The rest of the couple's day is usually spent on miscellaneous tasks β such as fixing things around the property and getting groceries for the restaurant β to ensure the resort runs smoothly,
While life now feels "slower, and definitely more fulfilling," Johan says it's not all play.
The couple has been busy getting the resort up and running over the past years, and they've only just begun to somewhat settle down β considering that they also recently opened a restaurant nearby serving European and Thai cuisine.
"People think, 'Ah, you must be so happy you can watch the sunset every evening.' We hardly do because we're always busy," Sabine said. "At the moment, everything is sort of done. Of course, in a resort, you are never truly done, but all the massive projects are done. So, I don't know, maybe life is going to be different now."
Have you recently relocated to a new country and found or renovated your dream home? If you have a story to share, contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.
To kick off 2025, Erin Liam visited Hong Kong for the first time in January.
Having grown up in Singapore, she had expected the cities to be similar.
However, she was surprised by several ways of life, including sharing tables with strangers.
When I told my family I was planning a trip to Hong Kong, they responded, "Why? Isn't Hong Kong similar to Singapore?"
In some ways, they are right. Hong Kong and Singapore β where I grew up β are often compared to one another. Both cities have high population densities, serve as global financial hubs, and are known for being expensive.
But on a four-day solo trip there in January, I was surprised to see how different the cities were.
1. Sharing tables with strangers
On my first night, I settled into a cozy beef noodle restaurant and was mid-slurp when a middle-aged man sat across from me at my table. Without even a glance in my direction, he ordered his dish and tucked in.
Although initially confused, I learned that table sharing, known as dap toi, is a dining norm in the city. The practice isn't meant to be intrusive, nor is it an invitation to make conversation. It simply arises from the lack of space and the need for efficiency.
It makes sense. Hong Kong, a city slightly smaller than Rome, has a population of around 7.5 million, per its mid-2024 census. Yet, government data from 2018 showed that only about 24% of land area is built-up. The result is a densely populated city where space is a luxury.
2. Speaking up on minibuses
Hong Kong is not a city for the soft-spoken. I learned the hard way that you must speak up to get what you want β on minibuses, at least. Also known as public light buses, minibuses provide an efficient mode of transportation to areas that Hong Kong's standard buses may not easily reach.
On route to the start of a hiking trail to Braemer Hill Peak, a spot to catch sunset views of the city, I took a minibus to avoid the 1-mile climb up. When the minibus reached my stop, however, it simply zoomed past and traveled back down.
As it turned out, not all minibuses have "stop" buttons that I was familiar with. Instead, passengers alert the bus driver when they want to get off by saying "yau lok," which means to stop the bus in Cantonese. It was, not surprisingly, a daunting task for an introvert.
On that day, I resigned myself to walking back up the hill and avoided minibuses for the rest of the trip.
I was eager to try Hong Kong-style French toast. Unlike French toast in the US β typically pan-fried and served with maple syrup β Hong Kong-style French toast is usually stuffed with peanut butter, deep-fried, then topped with condensed milk. The dish was introduced to Hong Kong during British colonial times and evolved to adapt to local tastes and ingredients.
When I attempted to order the treat for breakfast, however, the waiter wagged her finger and pointed to another menu β the afternoon tea menu. French toast, it seems, is considered a tea-time snack that is usually enjoyed later in the day. Instead, I settled for macaroni soup for breakfast. Funnily, it was something I would consider more of a lunch dish.
The next afternoon, I returned to a nearby cha chaan teng to attempt to order the dish again β only to be served french fries due to miscommunication.
4. Lines are everywhere, but they usually move quickly
On my first day, I walked miles to check out Hong Kong's famous eateries, only to give up upon seeing the long lines. But when I took a chance on one, I was surprised by how quickly it moved. As a city that prioritizes efficiency and speed, people eat and leave quickly, so lines move fast.
As a solo diner, I saw the benefits of dap toi. It was like joining a single-rider line at Disneyland, and I soon got used to sharing tables with strangers in crowded eateries.
Looking back, I could have enjoyed egg tarts and steamed rice rolls if I had been a little more patient.
5. Everything moves at twice the speed
When I met up with a local friend for dinner, she finished a plate of roasted pork rice within minutes. "You're done already?" I asked in amusement. "Hong Kong speed," she simply replied.
Indeed, everything moves quickly in Hong Kong. In busy districts like Mong Kok and Central, the Mass Transit Railway train arrives every other minute. People walk as if they are on a mission, and waiters almost expect you to know what to order the moment you sit down.
I was used to the fast pace of life in Singapore and assumed Hong Kong would match it. Instead, it surpassed my expectations and, at times, felt jarring. But, it was the bustling energy that made the city feel truly alive.
I'll be back again. Next time, I'll make sure to order my French toast correctly.
TikTok restored services in the US after 12 hours of downtime, easing some creators' concerns.
Creators rely on TikTok for income, from product sales and ad deals to the app's affiliate program.
With TikTok's future still uncertain, some creators are planning to diversify how they sell online.
TikTok restored services in the US on Sunday, easing the concerns of content creators and entrepreneurs who make their living from the platform β at least for now.
The platform was down for 12 hours starting late Saturday night and was restored following a Truth Social post by President-Elect Donald Trump, who said he'd issue an executive order on Monday to delay the ban. TikTok's future remains unclear, as its China-based parent company, ByteDance, has so far refused to divest from the app as required by law, but for now, the economy driven by TikTok can continue to churn.
"My whole livelihood was on the line this weekend," Live shopping host Kimberly Balance told Business Insider. "Never experienced anything like this the entire time that I've been a business owner."
Balance, who goes by KIMMIEBBAGS, sells luxury consignment goods on TikTok, Instagram, and the marketplace platform Whatnot. Last week, she relocated her business from Florida to California to expand her live shopping operations.
Balance was set to host a six-hour live shopping show on TikTok on Saturday as part of a new live shopping partnership she had struck with Reunited Luxury. On Thursday evening, TikTok informed her that her Friday meeting with the platform's luxury sales manager was canceled. Her show on Saturday was canceled soon after, in a blow to her business' revenue.
Since it launched in 2023, TikTok's online marketplace, TikTok Shop, has quickly become a prime source of revenue for creators on the platform. The app also has an affiliate program where creators can earn a commission for sales they help drive by tagging products in videos or live streams. Creators can also package products from different sellers on their profiles for users to search through. TikTok takes a cut of each transaction.
In its April 2024 economic impact report, the company said TikTok "brings tens of billions of dollars to the US economy," including $15 billion in revenue to small businesses that use the app, supporting more than 224,000 jobs. Business Insider could not independently confirm these internal statistics.
Before TikTok "went dark" on Saturday night, some creators on the platform told Business Insider they worried the ban could hurt them financially.
In a press release for the social media app Own, one creator, ChalkDunny, said he made more than 60% of his income in 2024. Another creator, izzybizzyspider, said in the release that TikTok is her "biggest source of income and biggest platform."
She warned that creators on the app have to be "prepared to be flexible and adapt quickly."
Nadya Okamoto, founder of menstrual-care brand August, which sells products on TikTok, told Business Insider she is "relieved" that TikTok came back online. However, she said the ongoing volatility over the ban prompted her to develop a contingency plan that reduces her reliance on the app.
"I've been encouraging my followers to connect with me on platforms like Instagram and YouTube for updates," she said. "I'm also exploring other affiliate shopping opportunities, such as YouTube Shop, where I've started adding shoppable productsβparticularly in my skincare-related videos."
Balance said she plans to switch up the platforms where she does business, given TikTok's still-uncertain future.
"We're going to continue probably to lean on the other channels like Instagram and possibly launch a YouTube," she said. "I think this is just an eye opener for all small businesses that we need to have a diverse way to reach our audiences."
TikTok did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider for this story.
Lebanon elected General Joseph Aoun as president earlier this month, ending a two-year presidential vacuum.
Just days later, Nawaf Salam was named as the country's prime minister.
Business Insider has taken a look at what the moves mean for Hezbollah.
Lebanon elected General Joseph Aoun, the head of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), as president earlier this month, ending a more than two-year presidential vacuum.
Just days later, Nawaf Salam, who had been serving as the president of the International Court of Justice, was named as prime minister, replacing the Hezbollah-backed caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati.
The moves marked a dramatic shift in Lebanon's power balance and highlighted the weakened state of Hezbollah, one of the country's most powerful political players.
Here's what we know about Lebanon's shifting political landscape and what it means for Hezbollah.
The group had been exchanging strikes with Israeli forces since October 2023, in the wake of Hamas' October 7 attacks.
But it was thrown into disarray after Israel killed its longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and wounded thousands of its fighters with exploding pagers and walkie-talkies.
A cease-fire deal between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah took effect in November.
These events have come as heavy blows to Hezbollah, depleting its resources and diminishing its ability to project its influence into Lebanese politics.
The appointments of Aoun and Salam may further compound Hezbollah's position.
Aoun was seen as the favored candidate of both the US and Saudi Arabia, which had spent years trying to end Lebanon's political stalemate.
A rival candidate preferred by Hezbollah had withdrawn prior to the vote, paving the way for Aoun's election.
"If the Lebanese army expands its presence into areas formerly controlled by Hezbollah, it will be more challenging for the group to rebuild its capabilities," said Will Todman, the deputy director and senior fellow in the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
"And if President Aoun alone is credited with securing international funding for reconstruction, it could further the sense that Hezbollah abandoned its constituents during and after the conflict with Israel," Todman added.
However, Aoun may be reluctant to provoke Hezbollah as he seeks to stabilize a country that has been mired in economic crisis and devastated by Israeli strikes.
"Hezbollah, no doubt, will be sharply watching the new president's moves in the coming months," wrote Nicholas Blanford, a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Middle East Programs. "Aoun is a pragmatist and is unlikely to provoke a confrontation with Hezbollah that, despite receiving a battering in the recent war, remains domestically powerful and potentially dangerous if it feels threatened."
While Hezbollah did not oppose Aoun's nomination, Salam's appointment as prime minister is said to have angered the group β which had sought to get Mikati reappointed.
Mohammed Raad, a Hezbollah lawmaker, reportedly said the group had taken "a positive step" by helping elect Aoun as president and was "hoping to find that hand extended, only to find it was cut off."
Salam has committed to implementing a UN Security Council resolution related to the Israeli conflict with Hezbollah that, in part, says Hezbollah should not have an armed presence near the border with Israel.
However, analysts say Salam is unlikely to risk provoking the group too much while he tends to more pressing needs.
"Salam is highly unlikely to juggle his uphill battle to extract Lebanon from near-total collapse while clashing β politically or otherwise β with one of the country's most socially and politically powerful factions," David Daoud, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, said.
For his part, Salam has said that the formation of a new government would not be delayed, that his hands were "extended to everyone," and that he was committed to starting "a new chapter" in Lebanon "rooted in justice, security, progress, and opportunities," per Reuters.
Aoun and Salam
Aoun joined the LAF in 1983, during the Lebanese Civil War, and he became its commander in 2017. His forces have an important role in maintaining the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.
Aoun is regarded as a "no-nonsense," nonpartisan figure who tends to avoid political discussions, the Associated Press reported.
Bilal Saab, a former Pentagon official who met Aoun on multiple occasions, told the outlet that the president was a "very sweet man, very compassionate, very warm."
"He really was viciously nonpartisan, did not have any interest in even delivering speeches or doing media," Saab said. "He wanted to take care of business, and his only order of business was commanding the Lebanese army."
Salam became Lebanon's ambassador to the United Nations in New York in 2007. He held the position for 10 years.
In 2018, he was elected a judge on the ICJ, and he became its president in 2024.
Salam presided over ICJ hearings stemming from South Africa's allegations that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
World leaders and officials from around the world have welcomed the appointments of Aoun and Salam.
President Joe Biden said in a statement that he "strongly" believed Aoun was "the right leader for this time."
"President Aoun will provide critical leadership as Lebanon and Israel fully implement that cessation of hostilities and as hundreds of thousands of people return to their homes and Lebanon recovers and rebuilds," he said.
The Iranian embassy in Lebanon also welcomed the news, saying it looked forward to working with Aoun to strengthen relations between the two nations.
UN Secretary-General AntΓ³nio Guterres took to X to congratulate Salam on being named prime minister.
"The road ahead for Lebanon is filled with promise but also great tests," he wrote.
In Israel, the news gave rise to mixed reactions.
Israel's minister of foreign affairs, Gideon Sa'ar, congratulated Lebanon on the appointment of Aoun, but he criticized Salam's nomination.
"The President of the ICJ, just appointed Prime Minister of Lebanon, has called Israel an enemy," he wrote. "How can such a person be expected to judge Israel fairly? President Salam's decisions regarding Israel must be disqualified immediately. Otherwise they might as well take the 'J' out of the ICJ."