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It's Time to Finally Eliminate Hizbullah
(Al Arabiya) Jason Greenblatt - For decades, the Lebanese people have lived under the shadow of a state within a state: Hizbullah, an armed proxy of the Iranian regime that hollowed out Lebanon's sovereignty, economy and political system. If Lebanon is ever going to reclaim its independence, this is the moment. Hizbullah's strength rested not only on its position within Lebanon but also on the broader architecture of Iran's regional proxy network. That network allowed Tehran to project power across the Middle East while pursuing its ambitions of destroying Israel and imposing the Iranian regime's theocratic vision across the region. That structure is now under unprecedented strain due to President Trump's actions, working hand in hand with Israel, to finally break the Iranian regime's ability to threaten Israel, Iran's Arab neighbors, and the U.S. itself. The Iranian regime, the pillar sustaining Hizbullah, has been significantly degraded. For decades, Hizbullah and other Iranian proxies operated with the confidence that Tehran's support would always be there. But the regime's ability to bankroll distant militias while its own economy deteriorates is collapsing. Hizbullah itself has also taken major blows as Israeli operations have targeted the group's leadership, finances, and military infrastructure. The aura of invincibility that Hizbullah cultivated for decades has faded. For years the Iranian regime treated Lebanon as a forward operating base. Hizbullah was built to serve Iran's ambitions. The interests of the Lebanese people never mattered. What was once one of the Middle East's most vibrant societies has been pushed to the brink. Future generations of Lebanese deserve a country whose army answers only to the state. They deserve institutions capable of restoring Lebanon's historic role as a center of commerce, education and culture. And they deserve a government that represents Lebanon's national interests, not the strategic ambitions of Tehran. The U.S. and Israel will continue to weaken Hizbullah, but they cannot restore Lebanese sovereignty. Only the Lebanese state can do that. The question now is whether Lebanon's leaders have the courage to recognize this moment, put the Lebanese people first and act before the opportunity disappears. The writer served for three years as the White House Middle East envoy in the first Trump administration.