Antoun el-Fata, "Akhbar al-Yawm" agency

Lebanon Between Renewed Strikes and Lack of Sovereignty: Are We Facing an Endless War?

Nader: Nothing can be achieved unless the state enforces its sovereignty across all of Lebanon

Amid a flurry of international visits and renewed local pledges to implement international resolutions and reinforce state authority across all Lebanese territories, Israeli drone and air raids continue, despite the war having ostensibly ended last November with a ceasefire agreement accepted by all parties.

Is Lebanon now trapped in a cycle of perpetual conflict? How can near-daily attacks persist, even after the formal declaration of a cessation of hostilities? And what is the role of Lebanon’s political and security institutions that consistently reaffirm their full commitment to both international obligations and the terms of the ceasefire?

Speaking to "Akhbar al-Yawm" agency, Retired Brigadier General Georges Nader warns that ongoing violations may not remain limited to aerial strikes, saying: "What is happening now could escalate. It won’t stop at drone attacks, it could reach the level of ground force incursions. The Israelis had already stated that if the disarmament of Hezbollah is not enforced, they would take matters into their own hands. In that context, the likelihood of renewed warfare and the deployment of ground troops increases. While airstrikes kill and destroy, the enforcement of agreements happens on the ground, through armies".

Nader recalled that former U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly called for Hezbollah’s disarmament both before and after the start of his second term. The same message, he noted, was echoed by U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus during her second visit to Lebanon, where she stressed the urgency of dismantling the group’s military capabilities. As soon as possible doesn’t mean in three years", Nader emphasized, saying: "The sooner this happens, the more Lebanon can be spared from further destruction and bloodshed".

He argued that no legal obstacles prevent the Lebanese Armed Forces from asserting control over all partisan weapons and facilities. "The Lebanese state and army enjoy constitutional and popular legitimacy, in addition to significant Arab and international support. So what are the authorities waiting for?"

Nader continued: "All domestic factions, including Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, claim they support the army in implementing international resolutions. So, they should go ahead and act. Therefore, where are the real barriers? The reality is that such expressions of support may simply be media-driven efforts to avoid political isolation or to mobilize supporters. But on the ground, the obstacles remain unchanged".

He pointed to recent events in Hosh al-Sayyed Ali, where army personnel were verbally attacked and told that it is weapons, not the state, that protect the people. There remains a deep-rooted conviction among Hezbollah’s base that their arms are their true protection. But have these weapons really safeguarded them, created a balance of deterrence, or simply led Lebanon into ruin?"

Nader concluded: "We are facing a core issue from which all other crises stem: The absence of full state sovereignty over Lebanese territory. Without that, there can be no political, economic, or social reform, no reconstruction, no recovery. Today’s opportunity to reassert sovereignty is unprecedented, backed by wide constitutional, domestic, Arab, and international support, one unlikely to recur".