Senior Hezbollah official Mohammad Raad on Monday delivered a sharp rebuke of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government, accusing it of bowing to foreign pressure after its recent decision to enforce a monopoly of arms under the state.
Mohammad Raad © Mena Today
Senior Hezbollah official Mohammad Raad on Monday delivered a sharp rebuke of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government, accusing it of bowing to foreign pressure after its recent decision to enforce a monopoly of arms under the state.
Speaking at a memorial in southern Lebanon for two Hezbollah commanders killed in the 2023–2024 war with Israel, Raad declared that the group’s “resistance” would not allow Israel to achieve its aims “through submissive governments or foreign tutelage.”
The Salam government’s stance on Hezbollah’s disarmament, along with a ban on projecting images of the group’s slain leaders at Beirut’s Raouché landmark last week, has fueled tensions. Hezbollah defied the order with a large public display, deepening its standoff with the cabinet.
Raad warned of a wider “enemy plan” aimed at politically and financially isolating Hezbollah to force Lebanon toward normalization with Israel. He insisted the “axis of resistance” across the region would not yield.
Hezbollah was severely weakened in its last war with Israel, losing senior commanders, much of its arsenal, and suffering heavy civilian casualties.
Yet party leaders, including Secretary-General Naïm Qassem, continue to claim the movement has regained strength despite ongoing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.
The Syrian Liberal Party has issued a bold call for a decisive international military alliance to disarm Hezbollah and restore full stability to Lebanon, proposing that Beirut formally request assistance from the existing US-sponsored international counterterrorism coalition.
The United States' top diplomat sought backing from sceptical Gulf allies on Wednesday for President Donald Trump's deal with Iran to end their war, while in another challenge to the accord, Israel insisted it would keep troops in southern Lebanon.
Talks between Israel and Lebanon include discussion of a U.S.-backed proposal for Israeli forces to hand over some of the territory they have invaded during the war with Hezbollah to the Lebanese military, according to Israeli and Lebanese officials.
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