File: Hezbollah blocks the main road of Lebanon’s only airport with burning tires and garbage after Lebanon decided to ban flights of Iranian airlines
By Ali Hussein
As long as Hezbollah remains armed, Lebanon will never see lasting peace or stability. The near-daily Israeli airstrikes in the south serve as a grim reminder that the war between Hezbollah and Israel is far from over—despite intermittent ceasefires. These flare-ups have devastated southern Lebanon, particularly Shiite communities, displacing families and destroying tens of thousands of homes.
For Lebanon to survive, the cycle of destruction must end. The only viable path forward is for Hezbollah to officially declare that it will hand over its arms to the Lebanese Army and integrate itself into the state’s institutions. The future of Lebanon cannot continue to hinge on the whims of a militia that answers to a foreign power.
The country is at a crossroads. Despite years of political paralysis and economic collapse, Lebanon has recently begun making efforts to rebuild relations with its Arab neighbors. If peace returns to the border, Lebanon is poised to experience a banner summer. Millions of tourists—Lebanese expatriates and Arab visitors alike—are expected to flock to Beirut, the mountains, and the coast, bringing desperately needed revenue and hope to struggling businesses and communities.
But this opportunity will vanish if Hezbollah continues to provoke conflict. No one will invest, visit, or rebuild in a country teetering on the edge of war.
Even Iran, Hezbollah’s primary patron, is now reportedly seeking ways to ease tensions with the United States. If Tehran is willing to pursue diplomacy to serve its national interest, then why should Lebanon continue to be sacrificed for someone else’s agenda?
It’s time for Hezbollah to think of its people. Its constituency in the south has borne the brunt of every round of fighting. They need homes, jobs, and schools—not rockets, bunkers, and war. Hezbollah must pledge allegiance to the Lebanese state, not to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The era of proxy wars must end.
Enough is enough. For Lebanon to live, Hezbollah must disarm.