Lebanon Bans Hezbollah Military Activity
In an extraordinary move, Lebanon's government has banned all military and security activities by Hezbollah on its soil. The decree from Prime Minister Nawaf Salam follows Hezbollah rocket attacks on Israel and is a desperate bid to prevent Lebanon from being dragged deeper into the escalating regional war.
Hezbollah's recent rocket and drone assault on Israel was a direct response to the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a joint U.S.-Israeli operation just two days prior. The group claimed the attack, its first since a November 2024 ceasefire, was "revenge for the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei." The projectiles targeted an Israeli missile defense site south of Haifa, though initial reports indicated they landed in open areas without causing casualties. Israel's reaction was swift and severe, launching widespread airstrikes across Lebanon that targeted Hezbollah commanders and facilities. These retaliatory strikes resulted in at least 31 deaths and 149 injuries, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. The Israeli military also confirmed the assassination of Hezbollah's intelligence chief, Hussein Maklad, in the response. The exchange is part of a much larger and rapidly escalating regional conflict. Following the killing of Khamenei, the U.S. and Israel initiated a broader strike campaign against Iran. In turn, Iran and its allied militias have launched missiles and drones at Israel and U.S. military assets in several Gulf states, including Kuwait and Bahrain, widening the theater of conflict significantly. The Lebanese government's ban on Hezbollah's military activities is a dramatic step for a nation where the group wields considerable power. Hezbollah operates as a "state within a state," with a political wing holding seats in parliament, a vast social services network, and a military force considered more powerful than the Lebanese national army. This new decree by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government, which is not aligned with Hezbollah, aims to assert state authority and prevent the country from being further engulfed in the regional war.
