Israeli strikes on Lebanon aim to pressure gov’t into disarming Hezbollah
By Behnam Saeedi
Iranian lawmaker
In recent days, southern Lebanon has witnessed a sharp escalation in Israeli military offensive, with waves of airstrikes and drone attacks targeting various locations across the region. The assaults have resulted in civilian casualties and widespread destruction of vital infrastructure. Simultaneously, Israel has launched a new round of attacks against Hamas positions throughout the Gaza Strip.
These attacks blatantly violate existing cease-fire agreements between the parties. By breaking its commitments and flouting international law, Israel has stepped up its military campaign against the Resistance Front, targeting both Hezbollah and Hamas.
It appears that Israel’s latest moves in southern Lebanon are aimed at pressuring the Lebanese government to move toward disarming Hezbollah. Yet such efforts are bound to fail, as Hezbollah enjoys deep-rooted popular support within Lebanon and has built a strong social and political base. For years, Israel and its allies have repeatedly sought to strip Hezbollah of its weapons through various means, but none of those attempts have succeeded—and this latest push is unlikely to fare any better.
From both a military and social standpoint, pressure to disarm Hezbollah has been met with stiff resistance from the public. Reports indicate that despite numerous efforts to weaken the movement, the Resistance has not only remained intact but stands fully prepared to respond decisively. As Hezbollah officials have stated, any continuation of attacks or violations of the cease-fire will draw a firm and proportionate response.
Over the years, Israel has demonstrated a consistent pattern of flouting international regulations, crossing red lines and violating human rights and state sovereignty without consequence. The silence or inaction of international organizations, coupled with the tacit support of certain UN Security Council members, has effectively given Israel a free hand to carry on with these aggressions. Some of these very nations, instead of condemning Israel’s crimes, have thrown their weight behind the regime, effectively endorsing its brutality.
Global public opinion holds all states involved in supplying arms or logistical support to Israel complicit in its atrocities against the people of Gaza and southern Lebanon. Both direct and indirect assistance from certain countries has emboldened Israel’s continued offensives. Nevertheless, the Resistance Front, anchored in its popular and ideological backing, has repeatedly proven its resilience, emerging victorious even under the harshest circumstances. Consequently, plans for disarmament are destined to fail.
A review of Lebanon’s wars makes it clear that despite Israel’s numerous plots and relentless aggression, it is Hezbollah that has consistently come out on top. Israel and its allies should have realized by now that Hezbollah and the broader Resistance are indestructible. The struggle between right and wrong has existed since the dawn of history and will endure forever, but history shows time and again that the camp of truth ultimately prevails, while the forces of falsehood are doomed to perish.