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Lebanon surprises international law again | Polyblog Opinion | @fadi_hachem

حزب الله مشروع تقسيمي | رأي ، جورج ورديني

Between the 'protest' on the Iranian ambassador's behalf today and the civil violence of 2008, Hezbollah has not changed. We hear their threats at their weakest and we remember their violence at their strongest.

As ministers of the “ Amal-Hezbollah duo” boycotted today’s Cabinet session over the expulsion of Iran’s ambassador, Minister of Administrative Development Fadi Makki, who holds the only Shiite ministerial position outside of the duo, broke ranks. He attended despite his personal disapproval of the government’s decision. In a political environment where disruption is often the default tool, Makki chose continuity. He showed up, participated, and placed the functioning of the state above imposed paralysis. That choice is not neutral in Lebanon. It comes at a cost. By refusing to fall in line with the boycott, Makki stepped outside the forced alignment, and the backlash was immediate. Accusations of betrayal, political attacks, and a campaign aimed at forcing him back into line. But that, in itself, is the point. Because in moments like this, the real test isn’t in the statement—it’s in the decision. We appreciate your position, Mr. Makki.

The "ministers of the Amal-Hezbollah duo" keep taunting the government with threats of resignations and withdrawals from the cabinet every time it dares to take an action toward reclaiming the state. Let them.

⁨⁨⁨كلفة الحرب لا تُقاس بالأرقام فقط… بل بالذكريات التي تحوّلت إلى ركام. مروى شكرون، صاحبة محل غرافيكا، تروي قصتها مع المكان الذي كان يوماً مليئاً بالحياة. هذه مجرد عيّنة من خسائر حرب 2024 التي لم تنتهِ تبعاتها بعد.

The Indictment Chamber in Beirut has ordered the release of Ali al-Rida Hussein Berro on bail set at 100 millionLebanese pounds, following his detention 20 days ago over videos he posted on threatening both President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Berro was arrested despite the protection he was perceived to enjoy and the pressure reportedly exerted by Hezbollah to halt his prosecution. The case has come to reflect a broader test of the state’s ability to enforce the rule of law, regardless of political noise or intimidation. Over the course of his 20-day detention, the expectation is that a clear message was delivered. Attempts by several Hezbollah MPs to intervene and secure his release ultimately failed, reinforcing the impression that the judicial process is proceeding on its own course. The central question now remains: will the consequences he faced serve as a meaningful deterrent, or will he revert to the same confrontational rhetoric and open defiance of the state as if nothing had happened?

Lebanon expels Iran’s ambassador and declares him “persona non grata.” Lebanon’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has finally withdrawn its approval of Iran’s designated ambassador, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, officially declaring him persona non grata. Secretary-General Ambassador Abdel Sattar Issa formally conveyed the decision to the Iranian chargé d’affaires in Lebanon, granting a deadline of Sunday, March 29, 2026, for departure from Lebanese territory. In the same context, Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry also recalled its ambassador to Iran, Ahmad Sweidan, for consultations, citing what it described as a breach by Tehran of established diplomatic norms and protocols between the two countries. The move signals a firmer official stance in how the Lebanese state is approaching its diplomatic relations, particularly with Iran, which has not hesitated to use Lebanon as a platform for launching its rockets. ---- استدعت وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين القائم بالأعمال الإيراني في لبنان توفيق صمدي خوشخو، وقابله الامين العام السفير عبد الستار عيسى وأبلغه قرارَ الدولة اللبنانية سحبَ الموافقة على اعتماد السفير الإيراني المعيَّن محمد رضا شيباني، وإعلانه شخصاً غير مرغوب فيه، مع مطالبته بمغادرة الأراضي اللبنانية في موعد أقصاه الأحد المقبل الواقع في التاسع والعشرين من آذار 2026. وفي السياق ذاته، استدعت وزارة الخارجية سفيرَ لبنان في إيران أحمد سويدان للتشاور، وذلك على خلفية ما وصفته الدولة اللبنانية بانتهاك طهران لأعراف التعامل الدبلوماسي وأصوله المرعية بين البلدين.

“We’re fighting to defend you all but we’ll also threaten your lives.”

The Israeli army says it has captured two members of Hezbollah’s Elite Radwan Force in southern Lebanon after they surrendered. According to the Israeli military, the two were spotted preparing to launch anti-tank missiles before being apprehended. Weapons and military equipment were reportedly found in their possession. The Israeli army added that the site they were operating from was later destroyed, and that initial interrogations suggest the fighters had moved from the Bekaa to southern Lebanon during ongoing operations. Israel says the incident highlights continued Hezbollah activity south of the Litani River, despite supposed measures to restrict it.

The Israeli army says it has captured two members of Hezbollah’s Elite Radwan Force in southern Lebanon after they surrendered. According to the Israeli military, the two were spotted preparing to launch anti-tank missiles before being apprehended. Weapons and military equipment were reportedly found in their possession. The Israeli army added that the site they were operating from was later destroyed, and that initial interrogations suggest the fighters had moved from the Bekaa to southern Lebanon during ongoing operations. Israel says the incident highlights continued Hezbollah activity south of the Litani River, despite supposed measures to restrict it.

Prime Minister #Nawaf_Salam told #AlHadath on Sunday, March 22, that the statement attributed to Lebanese Army officers and published by #AlAkhbar—claiming Shiite officers threatened to defect—is “suspicious,” He made it clear, stressing that no confrontation took place with the Army Commander. Salam said he is not calling for a confrontation with #Hezbollah, but refuses submission to its coercion. On displacement, Salam said accusations of government negligence aim to deflect from holding Hezbollah accountable, noting many #displaced already benefit from state relief programs. He linked escalation to its cost: each of Hezbollah’s six rockets resulted in 10,000 newly displaced Lebanese. Lebanon, he said, is years behind on monopolizing arms but will not reverse course. Hezbollah’s actions have undermined government credibility. On #diplomacy, Salam confirmed a shift: Lebanon has dropped the ban on negotiations with #Israel. No agenda yet, but a unified national delegation is in the works, with the goal of securing a ceasefire and Israel’s withdrawal

On Hezbollah’s digital media account Podium, the man known as Wafiq Safa appeared on March 26, threatening to force the government to reverse its decision to ban Hezbollah’s military activities “by any means necessary,” warning that while they will not bring down the government now, “they will have a different agenda after the war.” If there were ever a human embodiment of Hezbollah’s essence, it would be Wafiq Safa. A member of the political bureau, previously reportedly targeted by Israel and surviving, Safa also headed Hezbollah’s Liaison and Coordination Unit—one of the group’s most sensitive roles, bridging political negotiations with security operations. In practice, he was the man managing Hezbollah’s relationships with its political allies and overseeing its “relations” with the state’s security apparatus. For much of the period between 2024 and recently, his role remained deliberately opaque. He was seen as representing a divide within Hezbollah between a more pragmatic current and hardliners. But in the weeks leading up to the group’s return to war, Safa re-emerged in the spotlight as a political bureau figure. And with Hezbollah now realigned under direct IRGC influence, he appears increasingly emboldened to openly threaten the Lebanese state. As Safa lays out his post-war intentions, the question becomes unavoidable: if he and his camp manage to emerge from this war, how long will the Lebanese state—and those who control its security apparatus—continue to tolerate such threats?

الشيعة، إيران ولبنان مع د. هادي مراد شاهدوا الحلقة كاملة عبر الرابط: youtube.com/watch?v=jAVAr8… @hadimourad1

الدكتور هادي مراد في حوار صريح مع جورج ورديني حول قضايا تُطرح للمرّة الأولى عن الشيعة في لبنان، بين الإسلام السياسي والولاء المطلق، بين الدولة الدينية والطابع العلماني، وبين لبنان كفكرة وإيران كدولة. من تأثير الاغتيالات على جمهور الممانعة إلى الفراغ الذي تركه نصر الله، وصولاً إلى تاريخ الشيعة العرب في لبنان. نقاش مباشر بلا مواربة. شاهدوا الحلقة كاملة عبر الرابط youtube.com/watch?v=jAVAr8… @hadimourad1

#Israel’s defense minister has ordered the army to destroy all #bridges over the #Litani River and step up the #demolition of homes near the southern border. Earlier today, the Israeli army struck the strategic #Qasmieh bridge in southern Lebanon — a key crossing linking major areas of the region. The bridge, located near a #LebaneseArmy checkpoint and a #UNIFIL post, connected routes between Sour, #Zahrani, and #Saida, and provided access to nearby towns like Arzi and Zrarieh. Its destruction has now cut off #Sour (#Tyre) and surrounding villages from the Zahrani area and from Saida further north, disrupting movement and daily life across the south. According to Israel, the objective is to prevent #Hezbollah fighters and weapons from moving south, while accelerating the clearing of “frontline villages” to create a buffer zone — similar to what was implemented in #Gaza. ---

📌 Based on a Reuters investigation drawing on multiple sources familiar with Iranian activities in Lebanon, new details reveal how the IRGC directly intervened to rebuild Hezbollah’s military structure after the 2024 war—reshaping its command, strategy, and readiness for the conflict now unfolding. 1. 📌 Intervention: Following Hezbollah’s heavy losses in the 2024 war, Iran’s IRGC moved in directly to rebuild the group’s military core. It deployed roughly 100 officers to Lebanon after the November ceasefire, conducted a full post-war audit, and took hands-on supervision of Hezbollah’s military wing. IRGC advisers were embedded within leadership structures, overseeing retraining, rearmament, and the reconstruction of command systems that had been deeply penetrated by Israeli intelligence. This marked an unprecedented level of direct Iranian operational involvement inside Hezbollah. 2. 📌 Objectives: The intervention aimed first to restore Hezbollah’s battlefield effectiveness after the loss of senior leadership and structural disruption. Beyond recovery, the IRGC sought to fix vulnerabilities exposed by Israeli intelligence, increase operational secrecy, and ensure the group could survive future targeted strikes. At a strategic level, the goal was to reintegrate Hezbollah into Iran’s regional war architecture, prepare it for an inevitable large-scale confrontation, and enable coordinated, multi-front operations alongside Iran—while maintaining control over the pace of escalation. 3. 📌 Key changes: The most significant shift was structural. Hezbollah transitioned from a centralized, hierarchical organization into a decentralized, cell-based network often described as a “mosaic defense.” Small, semi-autonomous units now operate with limited knowledge of one another, reducing exposure if one cell is compromised. This model, inspired by Hezbollah’s early formation in the 1980s but updated with modern capabilities, makes the group more resilient to leadership losses, harder to infiltrate, and better suited for sustained, high-intensity conflict.