Lebanon's prime minister said Tuesday he will not allow his country to be dragged into a new conflict, after Hezbollah warned any attack on its Iranian backer would be an attack on the group.
"We will never allow anyone to drag the country into another adventure," Nawaf Salam said during the World Governments Summit in Dubai, in response to a question about comments made by Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem last week.
Qassem had responded to American threats of military action against Iran, saying "We will choose at that time how to act... but we are not neutral."
Salam said Hezbollah's decision to enter the Gaza war in support of its ally Hamas had "very big" consequences for Lebanon and that "no one is willing to expose the country to adventures of this kind."
More than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which largely ended with a November 2024 ceasefire, badly weakened the group.
Salam underscored that sovereignty is the “fundamental prerequisite” for enabling the Lebanese state to exercise full authority over all its territory, stressing that it is essential to security, stability, and state-building.
Restoring sovereignty “is not a political slogan but a practical path directly linked to security, stability, and state-building,” he said.
The prime minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to reform, arguing that structural reforms “are the only way” to restore international confidence in Lebanon and its economy and to pave the way for renewed support and investment.
He further emphasized that extending state authority over all Lebanese territory is a key factor in improving Lebanon’s standing regionally and internationally, particularly amid the severe security and economic challenges facing the country.
The government has begun implementing a plan to disarm Hezbollah starting in the south, one of its main traditional strongholds.
In January, Lebanon's army said it had completed the first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah, covering the area south of the Litani River, around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border.
Salam said that the state had "worked to regain control over decisions on war and peace."
"The Lebanese army has full operational control over the south," he added.
Israel, which accuses Hezbollah of rearming, has criticized the army's progress as insufficient, while Hezbollah has rejected calls to surrender its weapons.
Salam called on Arab countries to support the Lebanese army to bolster state control over the entire country.
"In order for the state to extend its authority over all its territory... we need to support the armed forces," he said.
"A conference will soon be held in Paris to support the Lebanese Armed Forces, and I hope that all our Arab brothers will participate actively".
Comments