We will be leaving Lebanon today after a few days reporting on the conflict and political crisis in here. The country is still tense though there is hope that a visit by Secretary General Amr Moussa today could provide an opportunity for rival factions to come to some sort of agreement.

But the ingredients for violence are still there. Another trigger could set things off again. Lebanon always seems to be on the edge of a precipice.

The airports and major roads out of Lebanon are still blocked by the opposition so we will be driving out of the country through Syria.

This week-end, check out a special half hour show on how Arab media are covering the U.S. elections. It was a fascinating discussion with top regional media leaders at the recent Arab Broadcast Forum in Abu Dhabi.

Check out the program description here.

Southern Gaza Strip, May 13, 2008. A Palestinian drives a horse cart to transport school children back from their schools in Rafah refugee camp. Gaza has been virtually sealed by Israel and Egypt since the seizure of the territory by Hamas, a group that Israel and the U.S. consider a terrorist organization. Gaza now suffers from widespread shortages of fuel, electricity and many basic goods. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

The country is in political crisis, street fights are rocking Lebanon, yet it seems the money ain't going anywhere.

The Lebanese newspaper The Daily Star reports that despite the factional violence that has left at least 59 people dead "no abnormal currency transfers out of Lebanon have taken place and the banking sector is functioning normally despite the worst internal strife since the 1975-1990 civil war."

"Backed by nearly $14 billion in foreign currency reserves, Lebanese banks have again weathered the immediate negative effects of the fighting in Lebanon," according to the same report.

Check out the full story here.

Our story today will look at how developments over the last few years in the Middle East have given Iran more influence over Arab countries. From Iraq, to Gaza, and now to the current political struggle in Lebanon, Tehran is holding the cards.

We will be talking to analysts and journalists about the political and military proxy battle between the Tehran/Damascus axis and Western governments, including the United States.

According to Hezbollah expert Amal Saad-Gorayeb, what is unfolding in Lebanon now is the end of "the current U-S agenda in Lebanon."

U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday reaffirmed his support for the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, but can Western powers now do anything to save the Lebanese government from collapse and a defacto power shift to Hezbollah and its Iran backers?

According to Lebanese analyst Rami Khouri, what is happening in Lebanon is more nuanced:

"The Army has assumed significant power as it is funded and trained by the United States and receives political guidance by the Iranians [via Hezbollah]. It is the first Iranian-American joint venture."

We will be speaking to him as well later today.

Watch our story throughout the day on CNN.

Beirut, May 12, 2008. Standing in part of the offices of Future television, the pro-government network torched by opposition supporters two days ago. There is still smoke curling up from the debris.

We are off to check out the city; both in the neighborhoods that experienced some of the worst violence over the last few days, and those areas of the capital completely untouched by the recent sectarian and political tension.

Beirut is nothing if not a city of contrasts: one war-ravaged building from the civil war era will live side-by-side with a new swanky boutique; one neighborhood will see raging gun battles, while life will go on in another, uninterrupted.

I've been coming to this country for years now, and I've seen it go through periods of economic and social optimism, damaging political assassinations, a month-long war with Israel and now, uncertainty over whether the people in this land can ever leave peacefully together.

Watch out for our story on today's Your World Today and on CNN International throughout the day.