Hezbollah refuses to inspect the site bombed by Israel in south Lebanon
Israel attacks a Hezbollah military site in Nabatieh south Lebanon on Thursday May 8, 2025
Hezbollah refused to inspect the site bombed by Israel in the Nabatieh District in south Lebanon
The Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida reported that 'Lebanon has received numerous international messages since the major Israeli attack on a Hezbollah site in Nabatieh District last Thursday, all of which revolve around the need to continue and accelerate efforts to restrict weapons to the state, especially north of the Litani River.'
The newspaper added, 'The Israeli strike carried a clear message: if the Lebanese state does not dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure north of the Litani River, Israel will continue its military operations and may even escalate them further.'
According to sources following the newspaper, the essence of the message is that 'there is no point in waiting for the Iranian-American negotiation process, because Iran will be forced to make the full concessions demanded by the United States, including abandoning its allies or proxies in the region. This can save time and spare the state.' Further pressure is being exerted, linking the withdrawal of weapons to the foreign aid needed to rescue the economy and rebuild the country after tens of thousands of homes were destroyed in the Hezbollah-Israeli war.
Sources monitoring the situation indicated that 'before targeting this site, which consists of underground tunnels fortified with bunker-busting bombs, the monitoring committee had informed the Lebanese Army of the need to raid it. However, Hezbollah completely refused, preventing the Army or UNIFIL forces from entering it, claiming that it is located north of the Litani River and therefore not covered by the ceasefire.'
The sources fear that 'this situation will be repeated at other sites, as Hezbollah insists on refusing to allow the Lebanese state to inspect them, and the strike will come from Israel.'
No rebuilding before disarming
Hezbollah has reportedly been insisting that Lebanon should rebuild the destroyed homes of its constituency before any dialogue on disarming . According to the World Bank, Lebanon's reconstruction costs may reach $11 billion. This comes at a time when Lebanon is, for all practical purposes, bankrupt. Depositors have been locked out of their bank accounts since 2019. The government has been negotiating for three years with the IMF for a modest $3 billion loan—so far, without success.
The friends of Lebanon—especially the Arab Gulf countries—have expressed willingness to help with reconstruction. But they've made one demand crystal clear: Hezbollah must first hand over its arms to the Lebanese Army. Without disarmament, no aid will be forthcoming.
Sami Haddad , a Lebanese political analyst told Ya Libnan: ' The whole world knows that the destruction was not caused by the Lebanese state. It was the direct result of Hezbollah's unilateral decision to attack Israel, in yet another move to expand Iran's influence in the region. Lebanon had no say in the war. In fact, many have called for Lebanon to
sue Iran and Hezbollah
for the billions in damages.'
Unless Hezbollah hands over its arms to the Lebanese government, Israel will continue to destabilize Lebanon, analysts say
'Lebanon now has a president and a prime minister committed to ensuring that arms remain solely in the hands of the state. Their vision is for a peaceful Lebanon. Hezbollah must not stand in the way', one analyst added
El Nashra/ Ya Libnan
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