UNIFIL Deputy Commander Maj. Gen. Chok Bahadur Dhakal, of Nepal, who was set to leave the country after completing his mission was injured when the UNIFIL convoy was attacked by Hezbollah supporters
By Ya Libnan Editorial Board
The recent events in Lebanon have once again exposed Hezbollah’s true nature—not as a resistance movement, but as a militant group that prioritizes Iran’s interests over Lebanon’s sovereignty. Blocking access to Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport for two consecutive nights and attacking UN peacekeepers are not acts of resistance; they are acts of terrorism and intimidation.
According to Lebanese authorities, Israel was planning to bomb Beirut’s airport if two Iranian planes were allowed to land. Hezbollah’s response was not to protect Lebanon but to escalate tensions and impose Iran’s will on the country. This reckless behavior put Lebanon at risk of another devastating conflict, further proving that Hezbollah’s primary allegiance is to Tehran, not to the Lebanese people.
The attack on a UNIFIL convoy—where peacekeepers were beaten, their equipment stolen, and their vehicles burned—further demonstrates Hezbollah’s blatant disregard for international law and Lebanon’s stability. UNIFIL’s presence under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 is meant to maintain security in the south, yet Hezbollah continues to defy these agreements, undermining Lebanon’s credibility on the world stage.
Furthermore, Iran’s refusal to allow stranded Lebanese passengers to return home on Middle East Airlines (MEA) underscores its true priorities. Rather than assisting its supposed allies, Iran’s focus remains solely on expanding its influence. If Iran genuinely cared about the Shiite community in Lebanon, it would have aided Hezbollah during its war with Israel rather than standing by while Hezbollah strongholds were pounded by Israeli airstrikes. Instead, Iran has treated Hezbollah as a disposable pawn, using Lebanon as a battleground for its own geopolitical ambitions.
The Shiites of Lebanon, an essential and proud segment of the population, deserve better leadership—leaders who put Lebanon first and work toward rebuilding the tens of thousands of Shiite homes destroyed by war. No nation should be led by a group that operates more like a “terrorist organization” for foreign interests than a true defender of its people. It is time for the Shiites of Lebanon to rise against Hezbollah’s stranglehold and produce leaders who embrace Lebanon as their homeland, not as a mere outpost for Iranian influence.
The path forward is clear: allegiance to Lebanon must come before allegiance to Iran. The Lebanese people—Shiites included—must demand change and work toward a future where their country is no longer held hostage by foreign agendas. Only then can Lebanon begin to rebuild and reclaim its sovereignty, free from external manipulation and endless conflict.