Overview

• On July 26 at 9:00 am local time, Rahbani’s death was confirmed by the National News Agency following a hospital statement in Beirut.
• The exact cause of death has not been determined and remains under investigation.
• President Aoun described him as “a living conscience” and a “complete intellectual and cultural phenomenon,” with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and other leaders offering condolences.
• Rahbani’s satirical plays and compositions—from his 1974 debut Nazl el-Sourour to later works—challenged class inequality and sectarian divisions.
• He is survived by his mother, Fayrouz, his sister Reema and brother Hali, and his work continues to inspire younger Lebanese rediscovering his legacy.