International reactions to the 2006 Lebanon War 39% disapproved, and 16% were not sure. When asked to think about the events of the past week in the Middle East, 54% of Americans answered that their sympathies are more with Israel, 11% answered more with Arab nations, 11% both, 11% neither, and 13% not sure. In August 2006, University of Chicago political scientist John Mearsheimer accused Israel of using the kidnapping of its soldiers by Hezbollah as an excuse to attack Lebanon and start the 2006 Lebanon War. Mearsheimer stated that "Israel had been planning to strike at Hezbollah for months. Key Israelis had briefed the administration about
Timeline of violent events relating to the Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon (2011–14) arms and ammunition on the container ship "Lutfallah II," which was headed for the port of Tripoli in northern Lebanon before it was intercepted. The ship had begun its voyage from Libya and it is generally believed the consignment was destined for the rebels in Syria. Four people were also wounded during a clash between supporters of the Syrian opposition and Sunni supporters of Assad from the Tawheed Movement. In May 2012, Salafists demanded the release of a Sunni Islamist, Shadi Mawlawi, who had been arrested on charges of belonging to a terrorist organization. The arrest of Mawlawi triggered a