Lebanese Forces accuse Hezbollah of undermining state sovereignty

The Lebanese Forces (LF) fired back on Tuesday at comments made by Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem, accusing the Iran-backed group of undermining Lebanese sovereignty while refusing to disarm.

In a strongly worded statement, the LF dismissed Qassem’s call for the government to support the Lebanese Army while maintaining Hezbollah’s armed status, calling it a contradiction that exposes Hezbollah’s grip on state power.

“It is not the government that undermines sovereignty, but Hezbollah,” the LF said, referring to the decisions taken by the Salam government on August 5 and 7, which endorsed a U.S.-backed roadmap for de-escalation. “These decisions opened the door to restoring Lebanese sovereignty, which has been systematically violated by Hezbollah.”

The LF accused Hezbollah of having hijacked the state's strategic decision-making, dragging Lebanon into regional conflicts that serve Iran’s geopolitical interests rather than Lebanon’s.

“Hezbollah is the reason Israel has entered and violated Lebanese territory,” the statement read. “It is Hezbollah’s presence and weapons that provoke regional escalation, not the state’s diplomatic efforts.”

The party also criticized Qassem’s refusal to disarm, calling it a direct challenge to the authority of the Lebanese state. “The government has made its decision, and it will be implemented—for the sake of Lebanon and all Lebanese,” the LF declared.

According to the LF, Qassem’s comments are yet another sign of Hezbollah’s radical and obstructive stance, which continues to block national unity and facilitates ongoing Iranian influence in Lebanon.

“When the state is fully present and in control, all other threats will disappear,” the statement concluded.