File- Lebanon’s FM Youssef Raji
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji on Tuesday urged the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah not to get involved in any fighting between the United States and Iran, expressing concerns about a new possible conflict with Israel.
Rajji told journalists in Geneva that Lebanese officials had been warned that in the event of another Israel-Hezbollah war, Israel would strike harder against civilian infrastructure across Lebanon than in the previous round of fighting.
The appeal comes amid growing concerns that the U.S. might carry out new strikes against Iran. Iran held annual military drills with Russia on Thursday as a second U.S. aircraft carrier drew closer to the Middle East.
The U.S. and Iran have signaled they are prepared for war if talks on Tehran’s nuclear program fizzle out.
Rajji said Lebanese authorities had appealed to Hezbollah, which has fought several wars with Israel, most recently in 2024, not to respond in any way that could trigger “bad situations” for Lebanese civilians.
“Lebanon has received signs that the Israelis could strike civilian infrastructure and maybe the airport” in Beirut, Rajji said in Geneva, where he was attending a Human Rights Council session.
Hezbollah was established by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982.
Hezbollah’s new leader Naim Qassem said in a televised address last month that the group was “not neutral” in the standoff between Washington and Tehran”.
“”We are determined to defend ourselves. We will choose in due course how to act, whether to intervene or not,” Qassem said.
Hezbollah suffered a major military defeat by Israel in the 2024–2025 conflict, resulting in significant degradation of its leadership, personnel, and infrastructure. Israel’s 2025 invasion of Lebanon saw the elimination of top leaders including Hassan Nasrallah, destruction of key missile capabilities, and deep intelligence penetration, forcing a ceasefire and retreat from the bordeR
AP
