The octopus extends its tentacles: Erdogan's son on his way to an unusual visit to Lebanon

According to a report in Lebanon, Bilal Erdogan is expected to visit Tripoli. The official agenda is humanitarian, but sources point to strategic motives: exploiting the political vacuum in Lebanon, a struggle for influence against Saudi Arabia, and a show of force against Israel.

According to a report in the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, Bilal Erdogan, the son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is expected to arrive for an unusual visit to Tripoli, Lebanon. The official agenda of the visit will be defined as humanitarian and social, but sources familiar with the details note that the trip carries strategic motives. Turkey identifies the political and economic vacuum in Lebanon and is working to establish a political foothold in the country. The main focus is Tripoli, a Sunni stronghold, and the move signals an attempt to challenge the influence of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states over the Sunni community. Additionally, the visit has a dimension of a frontal stance against Israel and a desire to secure Turkey a place in shaping Lebanon's future. On the domestic political front, Bilal has been marked as a possible successor, and the visit is intended to upgrade his diplomatic status.