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3. Hezbollah: 'I Am the State'

Hezbollah has once again crossed a red line. Defying an explicit state ban, the Pigeon Grotto was illuminated with portraits of Nasrallah and Safieddine, a symbolic act of defiance that speaks volumes. The message is clear: this militia takes orders only from Tehran and openly disregards both Lebanese law and international resolutions.

Since the Lebanese State reaffirmed that the monopoly on legitimate force rests with the national army, Hezbollah’s weapons have been illegal. Yet the group continues to parade and intimidate, challenging the government and the international community, both reduced to powerless observers. Each passing day brings Lebanon closer to a “Plan B:” allowing Israel to act and risk igniting another devastating war against the militia and its arsenal.

The toll of the self-proclaimed “war in support of Gaza,” launched by Hezbollah, is staggering: 5,500 confirmed deaths, nearly 20,000 wounded, 60,000 homes destroyed, $14 billion in losses and 100,000 displaced people. And yet, Hezbollah persists in its provocations and shows of force, as if none of this suffering or destruction mattered.

Who can still claim victory, argue for the necessity of arms or speak of resistance? When the law is mocked and the people sacrificed, the issue is no longer one of military legitimacy but of political responsibility. On that front, Hezbollah stands outside the law. The question now is how Lebanon’s authorities, so brazenly defied, will choose to respond.