A series of diplomatic warnings delivered in recent days to Lebanon’s leadership are alerting the country to military steps Israel may take in the next two weeks, amid threats issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Modon reported Tuesday. According to the report, the messages—which came from international sources—are calling on Beirut to show special vigilance and prepare for the possibility of a security escalation.
2+According to the report, the warnings received in Lebanon point to a particularly sensitive period in which the leadership is required to monitor Israel’s possible moves. At the same time, pressure is mounting on the terror organization Hezbollah to avoid joining another war, while Lebanese authorities grapple with a series of security and legal issues related to its activities.
One of the central issues is the investigation into a shipment of explosives, which is increasing pressure on the terror organization. Authorities are examining the affair alongside steps against weapons smuggling and financing sources, including commercial activity related to pharmaceuticals. These developments point to a possible escalation in how state institutions are dealing with Hezbollah.
2+According to the report, Lebanese sources are even demanding that the explosives shipment investigation be transferred to the Judicial Council, a special tribunal that handles serious cases related to state security. Such a move could lead to the investigation of senior Hezbollah figures, and subsequently even open the door to demands for its dismantlement. In this context, the precedent from the 1990s is mentioned, when the Lebanese Forces party was outlawed, and steps were taken against its leadership.
Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun convened a special security and military meeting, during which he ordered stricter law enforcement, prevention of armed shows of force, and confiscation of illegal weapons and ammunition. The president demanded that investigations be accelerated and suspects transferred to the justice system, and made clear that the state will not tolerate attempts to harm its security and stability.
2+Aoun also ordered increased presence of Internal Security Forces, General Security, and State Security forces in villages and towns in southern Lebanon that are not under Israeli control. The move is intended, according to the report, “to strengthen residents’ sense of security and facilitate access to administrative services,” against the backdrop of growing demands to concentrate weapons in the hands of state institutions.
Hezbollah recognizes the recent developments as part of tightening pressure on the terror organization and narrowing its room to maneuver. Senior Hezbollah figures have begun sharpening their statements against the Lebanese government, warning that continued steps against it could lead to a dangerous internal eruption.