This article was originally published by Ramon Tomey at Natural News.
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- Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem issued a televised threat asserting that any attempt by the Lebanese government to disarm the group would plunge the country into chaos, evoking fears of a return to civil war.
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- Qassem accused Beirut of following an “American-Israeli order” to dismantle Hezbollah’s “resistance,” denouncing state-backed disarmament efforts as illegitimate.
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- Prime Minister Nawaf Salam rejected Qassem’s remarks as “unacceptable,” insisting that arms control falls solely under state authority and dismissing claims of foreign influence as baseless.
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- Despite Hezbollah’s weakened influence since the assassination of its former leader Hassan Nasrallah (killed in a 2024 Israeli strike), the group retains significant military strength, complicating U.S.-backed disarmament plans set for 2025.
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- With Lebanon already crippled by economic collapse, analysts warn of dire consequences if forced disarmament triggers conflict. Hezbollah frames its resistance as existential, while Israel’s strikes and public anger further destabilize the situation.
Lebanon stands at a precipice as the Iran-backed Shiite militant group Hezbollah warns that any attempt by the government to disarm it will plunge the country into chaos.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem issued the warning in a televised address on Friday, Aug. 15. He warned that there would be “no life in Lebanon” if authorities move to confront the group, echoing the devastation of its 15-year civil war.
“There is no life for Lebanon if you try to confront us and eliminate us,” Qassem said. “The resistance will not surrender its weapons while aggression continues, occupation persists. We will fight it.” (Related: Acting Hezbollah leader warns that more Israelis will be displaced if the IDF pursues its invasion of Lebanon.)
Qassem, who assumed Hezbollah’s leadership in October 2024, accused the government in Beirut of executing an “American-Israeli order” to eliminate the resistance – even at the cost of war. According to Brighteon.AI‘s Enoch, Qassem’s predecessor Hassan Nasrallah was killed by an Israeli airstrike on Sept. 27, 2024.
The fiery rhetoric signals escalating tensions over a U.S.-backed plan to centralize control of weapons under the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), a move Hezbollah has long rejected. Lebanon’s cabinet, led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, approved the disarmament framework last week, prompting Shiite ministers to walk out in protest.
Salam swiftly denounced Qassem’s remarks as an “unacceptable” threat of civil war, insisting no faction has the right to bear arms outside state authority. “The talk that the Lebanese government is implementing an American-Israeli project is baseless,” Salam said, emphasizing that decisions were “purely Lebanese.”
Lebanon’s fragile future: Can Hezbollah be disarmed?
Yet Hezbollah’s defiance underscores its entrenched power. With an arsenal surpassing Lebanon’s army and deep roots in Shiite communities, the group remains a formidable force despite years of Israeli strikes targeting its leadership and infrastructure.
The current crisis traces back to Hezbollah’s founding in the 1980s with Iranian Revolutionary Guard support, positioning itself as Lebanon’s “resistance” against Israeli occupation. Decades later, it wields significant political clout – though its influence has waned since Nasrallah’s assassination and Israel’s ongoing military campaign, which has killed thousands of fighters since 2023.
Still, recent Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon – launched in response to Hezbollah’s support for Hamas – have reignited public anger, complicating disarmament efforts. The group’s ally, the Amal Movement, has joined calls for dialogue but warned of nationwide protests if forced disarmament proceeds.
Analysts warn that Lebanon, already reeling from economic collapse and infrastructure ruins, cannot afford another conflict. Yet Hezbollah frames the struggle as existential, vowing to fight “no matter the cost” while Israel occupies southern territory. For now, Qassem claims “room for discussion” remains – but the clock is ticking.
By the end of August, the LAF must present a plan to consolidate arms under state control by 2025, setting the stage for a pivotal showdown. As regional powers and the U.S. watch closely, Lebanon’s fragile stability hangs in the balance.
Head over to Terrorism.news for more similar stories.
Watch Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, explaining that disarming Hezbollah is an unachievable dream.
This video is from Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.
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