Lebanon on the brink as government moves against Hezbollah

In one of the most consequential moments in Lebanon’s modern history, this could be the moment the country crossed a dangerous threshold: a moment when the aftershocks of Israel’s massive "Operation Eternal Darkness" reverberated across Beirut, the Lebanese state openly moved against Hezbollah’s armed presence, and a humanitarian disaster deepened at a pace the nation can scarcely absorb.

In an emergency session held at Baabda Palace on April 9, Lebanon’s Cabinet made a consequential decision: the immediate prohibition of all Hezbollah military and security activities on Lebanese soil.

The government in many times formally demanded that Hezbollah surrender its weapons and transition into a purely political party, ending its status as an armed non-state actor.

President Joseph Aoun delivered a pointed message in a speech on April 9 underscoring Lebanese sovereignty, insisting that "the Lebanese State must negotiate for itself," in a clear rejection of any regional power, particularly Iran, claiming authority to negotiate Lebanon’s future.

The Cabinet also ordered the Lebanese Army and security forces to impose full state authority across Beirut Governorate, declaring that only legitimate state institutions may possess weapons within the capital.

The decision exposed divisions inside government ranks, as the Ministers of Health and Labor reportedly objected during deliberations, reflecting the profound political fault lines surrounding Hezbollah’s place in Lebanon’s national fabric.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam simultaneously announced that Lebanon would file an urgent complaint before the UN Security Council over the widening Israeli strikes in Beirut while declaring a national day of mourning for the victims.

Despite the scale of the Israel attacks, so far Hezbollah’s response has been muted. It has defended its actions as "legitimate resistance against Israeli ceasefire violations."

However, the group launched rockets toward the Israeli kibbutz of Manara early April 9 , signalling that retaliation remains central to its strategy.

Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Moussawi warned that if Israel continues to violate ceasefire understandings, "no one will remain committed," raising fears that the conflict may soon spiral beyond current fronts into a broader regional confrontation.

Humanitarian catastrophe deepens

Lebanon is close to a breaking point and faces war and possible collapse. A new and perilous phase has begun. The aftermath of a massive Israeli air offensive that struck Beirut on April 8, destroying residential buildings and killing a reported 250 people.

What unfolded revealed not only the scale of the war now engulfing the country, but also the emergence of a new political reality: the Lebanese state is attempting to directly challenge Hezbollah’s military autonomy while under the pressure of an expanding regional conflict.

Israel’s Operation Eternal Darkness has been the largest air campaign in modern Lebanese history. In just ten minutes, more than 100 Israeli airstrikes hit targets across Beirut, the Beqaa Valley, and southern Lebanon. The strikes focused on Hezbollah’s command centres, logistical infrastructure, and strategic supply nodes.

Among the most significant developments was the reported killing of Ali Yusuf Harshi, nephew and personal secretary to Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, marking a symbolic and operational blow to the organization’s inner circle.

Israeli forces also intensified efforts to isolate southern Lebanon by targeting crossings over the Litani River. Yet in a sign of state resilience, the Lebanese Army succeeded in reopening the strategic Qasmieh Bridge, restoring a critical link after clearing debris from earlier bombardment.

Beyond the military and political headlines lies Lebanon’s most devastating reality: a rapidly expanding humanitarian disaster.

The last 24 hours have been the deadliest of the conflict so far, with fatalities estimated between 203 and 254 people. The dead include four Lebanese soldiers while more than 1,000 others have been injured.

The scale of displacement is staggering. Since March 2, approximately 1.2mn people, nearly one in five Lebanese residents, have been forced from their homes, including more than 350,000 children. The refugee exodus has also accelerated, with thousands of people crossing into Syria.

Personal stories reveal the human trauma behind the numbers. A mother fleeing Bint Jbeil arrived at a Beirut shelter with her children still wearing their pyjamas, having escaped bombardment with no time to gather belongings.

Hospitals in Beirut are overwhelmed. Some emergency departments report receiving up to 70 wounded patients within ten-minute intervals, pushing medical infrastructure toward collapse.

It may mark the beginning of Lebanon’s decisive confrontation with the unresolved contradictions: divided sovereignty, armed parallel authority, regional entanglement, and the fragility of the state itself.

The question now is no longer whether Lebanon is in crisis. The question is whether its institutions can survive the storm now unfolding around them.