|
Trending Topics
|
Source: https://jcfa.org/is-hizbullah-preparing-a-takeover-in-lebanon/
Is Hizbullah Preparing a Takeover in Lebanon?
(Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs) Dr. Jacques Neriah - Hizbullah Secretary-General Naim Qassem's televised address on May 24, 2026, delivered on 'Resistance and Liberation Day,' marked a sharp and aggressive escalation in his rhetoric. With the Lebanese government recently declaring Hizbullah's military apparatus illegal and preparing for direct, independent talks with Israel in Washington, Qassem issued stern warnings to Beirut. He stated that Lebanese authorities 'do not have the right to act as they please' and explicitly threatened the state's stability by declaring, 'The people have the right to take to the streets to topple the government' and confront the Israeli-American project targeting the country's institutions. Qassem's speech reflects a leadership that is both cornered and defiant. By threatening to destabilize the Lebanese government from within while doubling down on a permanent war footing with Israel, Hizbullah is signaling that it would risk total domestic political collapse before agreeing to surrender its weapons.