The Lebanese Kataeb Party has recently come under various forms of attack, coinciding with the party’s leader, MP Samy Gemayel, adopting a proactive and passionate approach to engaging with Lebanon's diverse communities. Known for his strategy of promoting openness and dialogue across all factions, Gemayel’s efforts have stirred discontent among those who prefer to maintain division and psychological barriers within the country. In response, these opponents have sought to create instability, attempting to disrupt the Kataeb Party's efforts toward national unity.

These attacks are not confined to the political arena. In a more recent development, frustrated adversaries have turned to cyber warfare, targeting the party’s official website in a series of hacking attempts.

According to the party’s official media channels, these cyberattacks are part of a broader disinformation campaign aimed at undermining its credibility. This type of attack is not new, as similar incidents have occurred in the recent past. The campaign appears to be driven by political and media figures linked to the “Resistance” axis, seeking to counter Gemayel's outreach to the Shiite community, including those affiliated with Hezbollah. This outreach, which encourages dialogue and national reconciliation, has been met with opposition from the Resistance camp, which sees these efforts as a threat to their control over certain narratives.

According to information obtained by Annahar, the Kataeb Party has been able to identify the source of these cyber breaches and is addressing them internally. On the political front, the party is no stranger to being labeled as traitorous, particularly over the past few months, as it stood firmly against dragging Lebanon into the ongoing regional conflict. The attacks have prompted the party to question whether the Resistance camp, possibly losing ground regionally or along Lebanon's southern border, is now attempting to shift the battleground into Lebanon’s political sphere to consolidate its position.

The situation has raised broader concerns about the state of Lebanese media and the increasing use of cyberattacks to incite divisions.

Jad Chahrour, the media officer at the Samir Kassir Foundation, spoke to Annahar about the growing challenges faced by Lebanon's media outlets.

"Lebanon is going through one of the most difficult phases in terms of hate speech and deepening divisions,” Chahrour noted. “These divisions aim to fuel sectarian tensions, as seen in the hacking of the Kataeb Party’s website, as well as previous breaches targeting Al-Mayadeen and Al-Akhbar. The intent behind these attacks, including those involving Israeli narratives, is to stir sectarian conflict."

Chahrour also pointed out that Hezbollah’s media officer, Mohammad Afif, has been exerting influence over the Lebanese media, which he described as a threat "far worse than the cyberattacks."

He also highlighted the intimidation tactics being employed against journalists, including investigations by Hezbollah when reporters attempt to cover events in targeted areas. Chahrour emphasized the need for careful monitoring of media content, especially during such a sensitive period, warning that the growing ease with which sectarian tensions can be inflamed poses a significant risk.

While the cyberattacks by the so-called Resistance camp have predominantly focused on the Kataeb Party’s website, it is noteworthy that similar breaches have been reported targeting Israeli websites, including an Israeli cinema advertisement platform. These incidents underscore the broader strategy of using cyber warfare to influence public opinion and sow chaos both within Lebanon and beyond.