Lebanon seeks to defend its national security
Lebanon, through its Supreme Defence Council, its supreme military and security body, has issued a strong warning regarding the challenge posed by the expansion of the Palestinian militant movement in the country and the region.
The meeting was led by President Joseph Aoun and brought together senior officials from public entities, such as Prime Minister Nawat Salam, in coordination with the ministers of finance, national defence, economy and trade, foreign affairs, justice and the interior, as well as municipal actors and senior officials from the army and security agencies.
Concerns about Hamas' links have been circulating in Middle Eastern political circles, not only related to growing unease about its operational and weapons capabilities, but also to the revelation that Hamas attacks in northern Israel are direct offensive reprisals inside Lebanon, as well as the possibility of an intensification of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the destabilisation of the entire area. .
Indeed, recent investigations have claimed that Hamas is conducting military training on Lebanese territory, another factor that has heightened security concerns. The Lebanese warning is therefore a reference to its promise to take action against any action that threatens state sovereignty and security and that positions it as a platform for disruption.
In addition, the established presence of Hamas in the Mediterranean Arab country is not new, although it is consistent with its weakened control and government functioning undermined by the political-paramilitary group Hezbollah, the limited capabilities of the Lebanese security forces, the presence of Palestinian refugee camps, and the escalation of the Gaza War since 2023, which has brought Hamas and Hezbollah members with an armed presence into more severe conflict with Israel, leading to multiple cross-border clashes and air strikes that have caused widespread devastation in the nation. This has been mitigated by the intervention of the United States and France in the search for a cessation of hostilities, with an agreement in place between Hezbollah and Israel since last November.
It is worth mentioning Lebanon's support for the Palestinian cause and the self-determination of its people on the basis of international law and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, but it was also emphasised that, above all, Lebanese security must be safeguarded and exposure to the dangers of open war avoided.
This comes in the wake of the rocket attack prevented by the Lebanese Army this April against northern Israel, which ended with the arrest of Palestinians and Lebanese involved in other similar attacks that took place in late March.
These measures are in line with the strengthening of border surveillance as a means of restricting possible attacks on Israel or Syria and thus avoiding entry into a large-scale war or military confrontation. In addition, there are international influences persuading the dismantling of Hezbollah. It is also essential not to underestimate the strategic importance of the territory in regional disputes, especially the activity in the south of the country and what this area means for the geopolitics and stability of the Middle East.
All this is taking place during the process of re-establishing authority by the Lebanese government, especially in regions controlled by Hezbollah, and the complexity of establishing any form of dialogue. As such, Lebanon's role in the conflict between Hamas and Israel has been subject to the decisions of Hezbollah's political and military wing and its functions in the governance of the state, highlighting its equipment and organisation and its performance as part of the ‘axis of resistance’ and leader of the other militant groups backed by Iran.
