Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah and Lebanon (June 23 – 30, 2025)

Overview

• IDF forces attacked Hezbollah facilities and eliminated organization operatives as part of ongoing actions targeting Hezbollah’s presence in south Lebanon, contrary to the understandings of the ceasefire agreement and foiling the organization’s attempts to rebuild its military capabilities. The IDF attacked a fire- and defense-management complex which Hezbollah was rebuilding at the Beaufort Ridge and eliminated a foreign currency exchange owner who was transferring funds to Hezbollah from Iran.
• Hezbollah continued to demand that the Lebanese leadership increase pressure on Israel to stop the attacks and withdraw from the five points in south Lebanon, warning that the organization’s patience could end. Hezbollah secretary general Qassem stated the organization was capable of “expelling” the IDF from south Lebanon.
• Despite the continued condemnations by the Lebanese leadership after the Israeli attacks, the Lebanese foreign minister admitted that the statements were meaningless.
• Deodato Abnagara, the new UNIFIL commander, took office and met with Lebanese President Aoun, who said it was necessary for UNIFIL to cooperate with the Lebanese army to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701. UNIFIL commanders met with local community leaders in south Lebanon in an attempt to reduce friction between the force’s soldiers and local residents.
• Hezbollah promoted Iran’s “victory” narrative after the ceasefire in the Israel-Iran War. According to reports, the death of Muhammad Saeed Izadi, the head of the Palestine branch of the Qods Force, caused Hezbollah to stop payments to Lebanese whose homes were damaged in the fighting against Israel.
• After the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, discussions within the Lebanese leadership accelerated ahead of the first government meeting on disarming Hezbollah and formulating a response to the American special envoy, based on reciprocal steps between Israel and Hezbollah. Hezbollah allies, including the Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, called on the organization to give up its weapons, but Hezbollah continues to resist.
• Lebanese authorities announced they had seized $7 million in cash in suitcases which had arrived on a flight from an African country to Beirut International Airport. Attempts to smuggle weapons from Syria into Lebanese territory, including rockets and anti-tank missiles, were foiled.

The Ceasefire

The IDF

• The IDF continued to attack Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon which were in violation of the ceasefire agreement of November 27, 2024, which prohibited the organization’s presence south of the Litani River, and to attack Hezbollah’s capabilities and efforts to restore its military capabilities. During the week, an aerial attack targeted an underground Hezbollah compound on the Beaufort Ridge^[1] which was used to manage the organization’s fire and defense system after the site was attacked twice during May 2025, and as well as weapons depots and rocket launchers north of the Litani River. IDF ground forces destroyed a building used by Hezbollah for intelligence operations, and the IDF reported killing five Hezbollah terrorist operatives, including the owner of a foreign currency exchange office who stored and transferred funds from the Iranian Qods Force to Hezbollah (IDF spokesperson, June 23-30, 2025). The Lebanese ministry of health reported nine deaths in IDF strikes (al-Nashra, June 23-30, 2025).

    
Right: Currency exchange offices in Beirut which transferred funds to Hezbollah from the Iranian Qods Force (IDF spokesperson, June 25, 2025). Left: IDF attacks on Hezbollah compound on the Beaufort Ridge (al-Manar, June 27, 2025)

Hezbollah

• Hezbollah continued to demand that the Lebanese government respond more forcefully to the continued “Israeli aggression” and hinted that the organization’s patience was running out because of the state authorities’ conduct, but refrained from presenting explicit threats:
  • Interviewed by a Hezbollah-affiliated news site, Hezbollah secretary general Na’im Qassem said that the “resistance”^[2] would remain a presence in Lebanon and continue to fortify its position. He claimed that the state should exert a maximum amount of pressure, use its international relations to force Israel to withdraw from its territories and stop the “aggression.” However, he claimed that if the state failed to achieve its goals, Hezbollah would make the “appropriate decision at the appropriate time” (al-’Ahed, June 23, 2025).
  • In a speech on the occasion of the Muslim New Year, which begins with the month of Muharram and the ten days of the Shi’ite Ashura,^[3] Qassem said Hezbollah would work to liberate Lebanon and ensure its sovereignty, and not surrender to the “occupation” and dictates. He said they were ready to work towards that goal “no matter what the price” (al-Nour Radio, June 26, 2025). In another speech, he said Hezbollah had remained steadfast until the ceasefire, which represented a new stage in the state’s responsibility. He said Hezbollah would determine the amount of time it gave State of Lebanon to stop the Israeli attacks and withdraw IDF forces from south Lebanon. He claimed that if necessary, they would be able to “expel” the IDF from south Lebanon, adding that Hezbollah would not be humiliated. He said such a situation in which Hezbollah did not respond would not last forever and their patience had its limits. He said, “These are not empty words. We are capable of confronting Israel and defeating it” (al-Manar, June 28, 2025).

• • In a sermon marking the second night of the Ashura, Sheikh Muhammad Yazbek, head of Hezbollah’s Sharia Council, said the Lebanese state had to meet its obligation to “liberate the country to the last centimeter, rebuild and stand by its people.” He said “the enemy is treacherous” and did not provide any security, and therefore Hezbollah was not allowed to sleep. He added that they acted only out of “awareness and wisdom” and were not in a hurry, and that their hands were extended for national unity (al-Manar, June 27, 2025).
  • Ali Fayyad, a member of the Hezbollah faction in the Lebanese Parliament, said that following its “failure” in the Israel-Iran War, Israel would escalate its military operations against Hezbollah targets to “hurry up and resolve the weapons issue in the Lebanon.” He said Hezbollah had “entrusted” the management of the situation to the state and called for pressure to be exerted on Israel, which he claimed did not adhere to Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement, while Hezbollah did adhere to them. He added that they were open to cooperating with the state in a strategic discussion related to Lebanon’s stability and recovery, but only after Israel withdrew and fulfilled the conditions (al-’Ahed, June 28, 2025).
  • Mahmoud Qamati, deputy head of Hezbollah’s political council, demanded that the Lebanese state authorities prioritize the liberation of Lebanon from Israel’s attacks and “daily violations,” especially in the southern villages. He asked, “What can the state do other than protest? And does protest have results?” Qamati said the “resistance” would remain the cornerstone of Lebanon’s strength and defense, would not change its policy regarding maintaining internal stability and would continue to be involved and cooperate with the state. He said Hezbollah would not cede Lebanon’s strength, represented by the “resistance.” He also claimed that the problem was not with the “resistance” but with the “American occupation,” which was exerting pressure on Lebanon from all sides, and called for an end to the “occupation,” whether through political decisions, pressure, appointments, bases, or spies and intelligence agencies (al-Akhbar, June 28, 2025).
  • Hassan Izz al-Din, a member of the Hezbollah faction in the Lebanese Parliament, called on the Lebanese government to take responsibility and apply pressure on international entities instead of yielding to American and French pressure, in order to “expel the enemy from our occupied territories.” He called for a complaint to be filed with the UN Security Council, the summoning of ambassadors of the countries concerned and an official opposition to “the repeated crimes” (al-Nashra, June 29, 2025).
  • Hussein al-Hajj Hassan, a member of the Hezbollah faction in the Lebanese Parliament, called on the state to fulfill its role in the five-member committee for the implementation of the ceasefire in order to “stop the aggression, return the prisoners and begin reconstruction.” He claimed there was no justification for the “continued Zionist aggression” against Lebanon, adding that although there were those who wanted to “force normalization with the enemy,” Hezbollah would not change its position, warning that normalization would “destroy” the Palestinian issue and was contrary to the interests of Lebanon, Syria and the other regional countries, including those which had signed peace agreements with the “enemy” (al-Nashra, June 29, 2025).

The Lebanese leadership

• Reportedly, for the first time since March 11, 2025, a meeting of the committee overseeing the implementation of the ceasefire agreement was held in Ras al-Nakoura, headed by American General Michael Leeney, and in the presence of the new UNIFIL commander, Italian Major General Diodato Abagnara. A “Lebanese military source” reported that an Israeli representative on the committee said IDF forces would not withdraw from the five outposts in south Lebanon before Hezbollah disarmed. Meanwhile, the Lebanese delegation reported the position of the Lebanese president and government, which demanded Israel’s withdrawal from the five outposts as a preliminary step to disarming Hezbollah (al-Akhbar, June 26, 2025).
• Senior Lebanese leadership officials continued to condemn Israel’s attacks in the south of the country and warned that the IDF’s presence at the five points in south Lebanon prevented the Lebanese army forces from completing their deployment and ensuring the state’s monopoly on weapons in the border area:
  • Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and the British ministry of defense’s Middle East advisor, Admiral Edward Algren, discussed the latest regional developments, including the ceasefire between Israel and Iran and UNIFIL activity in south Lebanon. Aoun said the continued Israeli attacks on towns in south Lebanon and sometimes directed at other areas in Lebanon, including the Dahiyeh al-Janoubia in Beirut, kept tensions from relaxing and prevented measures designed to preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty, security and stability. He said that his country regarded the expansion of UNIFIL activity as a key factor in maintaining stability and security in south Lebanon. He said he hoped the UN would accept the expansion of UNIFIL activities “in a timely manner and without obstacles.” Moreover, he claimed the continued “Israeli occupation” of the five points on Lebanese territory kept the Lebanese army from full deployment in south Lebanon, while wherever the army had deployed it implemented the decision regarding the state’s monopoly on weapons (al-Nashra, June 26, 2025).
  • The Lebanese foreign ministry, through the Lebanese mission to the UN, sent a letter to UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, demanding “an Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese lands and an end to the ongoing violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” (Lebanese foreign ministry X Account, June 27, 2025).
  • Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam strongly condemned the Israeli attacks in the Nabatieh district (the Beaufort Ridge), calling them a “blatant violation” of national sovereignty and of the cessation of hostilities agreements reached in November 2024. He added that the Israeli attacks threatened the stability they were striving to maintain (Lebanese prime minister’s X-account, June 27, 2025).
  • Lebanese information minister Paul Morcos said Israel continued to “occupy” five points on Lebanese territory, hindering the deployment of the army in the south and the expansion of the government’s sovereignty. He said they were mobilizing diplomatic efforts to stop Israel’s attacks and push it to withdraw (Al Jazeera, June 27, 2025).
  • Lebanese foreign minister Youssef Rajji wondered why he had to keep condemning Israeli attacks all the time. In an interview at the Road to State Conference, he said, “Every day there is an Israeli attack, every day I have to issue a statement. What does a statement do to stop the attacks?” (MTV Lebanon, June 28, 2025).

UNIFIL

• The new UNIFIL commander, Diodato Abagnara, took office on June 24, 2025. Speaking at a ceremony at UNIFIL headquarters in al-Naqoura, he said “UNIFIL operates in a complex environment and faces a challenging mission, the success of which depends on joint work, international coordination and turning dialogue into action.” He noted that the forces were undergoing changes to improve their effectiveness to protect civilians, stop “aggression” and maintain stability in south Lebanon, all in coordination with the Lebanese army forces and in accordance with Resolution 1701 (al-Nashra, June 24, 2025).

• Lebanese President Joseph Aoun discussed with the new UNIFIL commander, Major General Diodato Abagnara, the importance of UNIFIL’s continued work alongside the Lebanese army in the south of the country to fully implement Resolution 1701. Aoun reportedly noted the need for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the five points to allow the Lebanese army to complete its deployment within internationally recognized borders (Lebanese presidency X Account, June 30, 2025).

• This past week, frictions continued between residents in south Lebanon and UNIFIL forces. A peacekeeping force patrol was stopped in Tel Abel, near the town of Abel al-Saqi, after residents prevented it from continuing because it was not accompanied by Lebanese army forces (Had Wadi al-Thim Facebook page, June 28, 2025).
• Given the friction, Nicola Mandolesi, the UNIFIL commander in the western sector in south Lebanon, met with heads of authorities in al-Abassiyya, al-Naqoura, Qana and Itit to strengthen ties with the authorities, express support for the Lebanese army and holdi a dialogue with civil society. Mandolesi said that UNIFIL’s freedom of movement in the field was a primary condition for carrying out its missions, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1701. Giacomo Tricase, commander of the Italian battalion, met with the heads of the municipalities of Tayr Harfa, al-Mansouriyeh, and Alma al-Sha’ab; the commander of the Malaysian battalion, Johan Efendi, met with the mayor of Tayr Filsay; the commander of the South Korean battalion, Lee Ho-joon, met with the chairman of the al-Abbasiya municipality; and Lieutenant Colonel McDonagh, the commander of the Irish battalion, met with the outgoing mayor of Itrun (Lebanon Debate, June 28, 2025).

Hezbollah and the Israel-Iran War

• Hezbollah expressed support for Iran after the Israeli and United States attacks on Iran and the threats to eliminate Ali Khamenei. With the ceasefire which stopped the war, Hezbollah promoted the Iranian “victory” narrative in statements and demonstrations of support in front of the Iranian embassy in Beirut:
  • In an interview with a Hezbollah-affiliated news site, Hezbollah secretary general Na’im Qassem attacked the American president, adding that the threat to attack Khamenei was “despicable” and a sign of weakness. Qassem described Trump as ignorant of ‘Khamenei’s status’ among Muslims and the world, adding that he ignored the dangerous implications of the threats. He said he was confident that Iran would win because it had “the right” and was being attacked. Qassem noted that Iran had a courageous, determined leader, and the Iranian people were strong and had put aside their differences to unite against “American-Israeli aggression” (al-’Ahed, June 23, 2025).
  • In a speech delivered by Qassem to mark the Islamic New Year after the Israel-Iran War ended, he claimed the American attack on Iran was “unjustified aggression founded on baseless claims” because Iran’s nuclear program was for peaceful purposes, while “Tehran’s only sin was supporting the Palestinians.” Qassem noted Iranian “supremacy” in the region, saying that “American and Zionist aggression” had failed to overthrow the Iranian regime and eliminate Iran’s nuclear or missile capabilities, and threatened that missiles would continue to attack the “Zionist entity.” He claimed the ceasefire was a victory for Iran, which “has proven its ability to strike the entity and deal with Israeli, American and Western aggression on its own.” Qassem added that the objective of Israel and the United States was to “destroy any capability of the resistance in the region and the entire front for the liberation of Palestine” (al-Nour Radio, June 26, 2025).
  • Hassan Izz al-Din, a member of the Hezbollah faction in the Lebanese Parliament, referred to the United States attack on Iran as “igniting the war and increasing regional tensions and instability.” He warned that “all options are open, including the possibility of an all-out war,” adding that if the situation escalated, not even Washington would be able to control it. Moreover, he accused Israel and the United States of “violating international law when it is in their interests” (Lebanese News Agency, June 23, 2025).
• After the ceasefire, Hezbollah congratulated Iran and its leadership on “its glorious victory in the precise and painful attacks on the Zionist entity and response to the American aggression.” The organization called it “the beginning of a new historical era in dealing with American hegemony and Zionist torment in the region.” According to Hezbollah, Iran’s direct response [the missile attack on the American military base in Qatar on June 23, 2025] told the United States that “the era of arrogance and tyranny towards the peoples of the region has passed forever” (Hezbollah combat information Telegram channel, June 25, 2025).
• At a Hezbollah demonstration of solidarity in front of the Iranian embassy, Muhammad Raad, head of the Hezbollah faction in the Lebanese Parliament, said that “in no way is it possible for Israel to be a regional deterrent force.” That, he claimed, was in contrast to Iran “which has proven its deterrent power by its firm stand and resilience against the Zionist entity.” According to Raad, the first factor in achieving victory was the presence of a “divine leader,” the second was Iran’s strong, courageous military force, and the third was the people of Iran who united and defended their homeland. Raad asserted that “Palestine will remain the issue, the central pillar of our region” and “history will remember our honorable position in defending the oppressed and our determination to avoid causing the losses to the country of a total war” (al-Akhbar, June 25, 2025).

   
A demonstration of Hezbollah supporters in front of the Iranian embassy in Beirut (al-Manar, June 25, 2025)

• Sheikh Ali Damoush, chairman of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, said in a Friday sermon that “Iran’s enemies failed” and were unable to destroy Iran’s nuclear project, disrupt its rocket capabilities or undermine the regime and drag the Islamic Republic into surrender. He claimed Iran had emerged from the war more united, more determined and victorious thanks to its firm stance and rocket capabilities. Damoush added that Iran was “a regional power too great to be broken and too strong to surrender” (al-Manar, June 27, 2025).

• Hezbollah expressed its condolences for the death of Muhammad Saeed Izadi, head of the Palestine branch of the Qods Force, who was eliminated in an Israeli attack in Iran on the night of June 20, 2025. Hezbollah said that through his extensive ties with various “resistance” movements and groups in the region, Izadi had created an effective, influential communications network. It was further noted that Izadi managed to bring about “a major revival and substantial progress in the resistance’s methods of operations, capabilities and plans” (al-’Ahed, June 27, 2025). Reportedly, the elimination of Izadi, who was responsible for transferring funds from Iran to Hezbollah, forced the organization to postpone the payments to Lebanese whose homes were damaged in the fighting, and to freeze aid programs which were part of the reconstruction process that Hezbollah was trying to lead for its supporters in Lebanon. “Informed sources” said that the development was expected to exacerbate the crisis in the living conditions of those whose homes were destroyed or damaged, and increase pressure on the Lebanese government (al-Jadeed, June 24, 2025; al-Hadath, June 26, 2025).
• At a press conference during his visit to Qatar, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he was satisfied that all the power elements in Lebanon had cooperated to avoid dragging Lebanon into a new war or involving Lebanon in any way in a regional conflict related to the Israel-Iran War (Al Jazeera, June 24, 2025).

Hezbollah’s Challenges

Disarmament

• The ceasefire in the Israel-Iran War reignited the public debate in Lebanon regarding Hezbollah’s disarmament, after the United States temporary special envoy to Lebanon, Thomas Barrack, during his visit to Beirut, submitted a document calling on the Lebanese leadership to collect weapons from Hezbollah as a prelude to American pressure on Israel to withdraw from the five points in south Lebanon:
• An “official Lebanese source” said the Lebanese army had prepared a work plan which was submitted to the Americans, detailing what the Lebanese side would do in exchange for each Israeli step, including its withdrawal from points in Lebanon, stopping attacks and the release of Lebanese prisoners held in Israel. According to the report, Lebanon asked the Americans to guarantee the steps Israel would take in exchange for a Lebanese commitment to begin disarming north of the Litani River. In addition, “several sources” reported that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told Muhammad Raad, chairman of Hezbollah’s parliamentary faction, that the organization had to hand its heavy weapons over to the Lebanese army because the weapons had lost their role after the last campaign (al-Sharq al-Awsat, June 27, 2025).
• Reportedly the Lebanese response to Barrack was expected to focus on two points: transferring the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons to the government so it could make the decision to dismantle all of its components, including ministers affiliated with Hezbollah; and a “step-for-step” approach to implementing the government’s decision, with an Israeli withdrawal from a certain point in Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah taking a significant step in terms of handing over the weapons (al-Akhbar, June 27, 2025). “Sources” reported that Hezbollah-affiliated ministers were not expected to boycott the government meeting that would deal with the issue of arms restrictions in Lebanon (al-Hadath, June 28, 2025).
• Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to discuss the issue of disarming Hezbollah in light of the ideas presented by the American envoy. Salam said the discussions were “positive” and they would meet again after Berri received a response from Hezbollah on “certain points.” He said that issues related to Lebanese sovereignty and weapons exclusivity were a Lebanese need before they were an external demand, and Lebanon’s stability was important (al-Sharq al-Awsat, June 28, 2025). “Sources” reported that President Aoun, Prime Minister Salam and Parliament Speaker Berri were working to formulate a working paper on how to disarm Hezbollah. According to “sources,” a major effort was being made to formulate an official Lebanese political position which would be supported by the three authorities and which would be presented to the American envoy during his next visit to Lebanon, which was scheduled for early July 2025 (al-Hadath, June 28, 2025).
• There have also been increasing voices in the Lebanese political system calling for the disarming Hezbollah to be completed, including from political figures who were allies of Hezbollah:
• Samir Geagea, chairman of the Christian Lebanese Forces party, Hezbollah’s most prominent opponent, said the illegal weapons should be handed over to the Lebanese state before the end of 2025. He said he had not set a specific timeline for President Aoun, but suggested that it should happen before the end of the year. He added that the president favored a “very smooth” handling of the issue, but said he hoped the measures would be expedited, especially given the pace of events (Nida al-Watan, June 27, 2025).
• Walid Jumblatt, veteran Druze leader in Lebanon, who was considered an ally of Hezbollah in recent years and has often spoken out strongly against Israel, admitted that “a new page has been turned in the Middle East. In the current campaign, Israel and the West, together with the United States, have won.” He said he hoped that if a Lebanese or non-Lebanese party [i.e., the Palestinians] possessed weapons, it would transfer them to the state “in the appropriate way” (al-Jadeed, June 26, 2025).

• • Gebran Basil, chairman of the Free National Movement, who has also been considered a close ally of Hezbollah in recent years, said that Hezbollah’s presence inside Lebanon was strong and therefore no one could easily overcome it, but called on the organization to hand over its weapons and join the state-building process. He said all of Lebanon had paid the price for Hezbollah’s weapons, and therefore its citizens were the ones who should benefit from them, not Iran. Basil said Iran managed to defend itself without using Hezbollah, and Hezbollah’s weapons would not be able to deter Israel, neither in the Lebanese arena nor in terms of the “axis of resistance,”^[4] and therefore the mission of defending Lebanon had to be in the hands of the state. He added that while Lebanese President Aoun had taken on the task of handling the issue of Hezbollah’s disarmament, there was no serious dialogue on the subject, as could be seen from the statements of Hezbollah secretary general Qassem . He said the dialogue should be decisive and not just held to waste time, adding that Hezbollah’s weapons were part of a larger regional solution, and the expectation of handing over its weapons was linked to developments regarding negotiations or war (LBCI, June 27, 2025).
  • Walid al-Baarini, a member of the Sunni National Moderation faction, called on Hezbollah to take an “immediate historic national stance” by handing over its weapons and avoiding putting Lebanon at risk. He said Hezbollah’s weapons had become a burden on the organization’s supporters and on Lebanon as a whole, and they were allowing Israel to “justify” attacks which were causing destruction in the country. Al-Baarini said, “Enough with old slogans, enough with evasions, enough with postponements at the expense of the state. The only correct path is through the state, it alone protects and builds. Any other path will lead Lebanon into dangerous adventures” (Hana Lebanon, June 29, 2025).
• However, Hezbollah continued to defy calls to hand over its weapons and emphasized the role of the “resistance:”
  • Na’im Qassem, Hezbollah secretary general, said that there were those who demanded that Hezbollah hand over its weapons, even though the “enemy” did not meet its commitments under the ceasefire agreement. According to him, the demand was “illogical” (al-’Ahed, June 28, 2025). Dr. Richard Kouyoumjian, a former Lebanese government minister who serves as head of the Lebanese Forces’ foreign relations department, said in response that what Qassem had said “was from the past and reflects inaction.” He added, “The Lebanese are tired of waiting for you forever, your only option without choice is to hand over your weapons to the army and return to the bosom of the state and legitimacy. You are essentially a dead man waiting for resurrection” (Richard Kouyoumjian’s X account, June 29, 2025).
  • Sheikh Ahmed Qabalan, senior Shi’ite cleric, said on the occasion of the Muslim New Year, that there was no legitimacy for any side to demand that Hezbollah disarm, only to be “destroyed by aggressive Israel,” especially when the Arabs were experiencing the most difficult moments of “exile, loneliness and failure” due to their division. He stated that Israel was an “eternal enemy,” and that the “resistance” was the pride of the Lebanese national family (al-Manar, June 27, 2025).
  • Hassan Izz al-Din, a member of the Hezbollah faction in the Lebanese Parliament, said that they did not “accept anyone who wants to expel them.” He said some thought that what happened to the “resistance” in the last campaign had led to its defeat, but they were wrong and the “resistance” continued to fulfill its duties and succeeded in preventing the “enemy” from achieving its goals and occupying south Lebanon (al-Nashra, June 29, 2025).

Reconstructing the leadership

• “Sources” reported that Hezbollah planned to make changes to the composition of its slate of candidates ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for next year. According to the sources,” the goal was not only to refresh the slate, but also to reflect the party’s desire to create a “positive shock wave” among its supporters to strengthen public trust. “Sources” noted that Hezbollah planned to appoint new figures who were close to the organization, enjoyed a high level of support and had the ability to show involvement in the current needs of the Lebanese. Some of the figures allegedly gained attention in recent years due to their involvement in public life and their ability to combine political commitment with social discourse, but their names have not yet been publicly released (Lebanon24, June 26, 2025). Hezbollah formally stated that the media reports of “sources close to the organization or knowledgeable about the organization” did not reflect the organization’s position at all. Rather, they were were personal analyses or “fake sources with political goals,” and Hezbollah urged the public not to rely on them (Hezbollah combat information Telegram channel, June 25, 2025).

Blocking smuggling routes

• The Lebanese army said that an intelligence directorate patrol foiled an attempt to smuggle shells and rockets from Syrian territory into Lebanon in the Hermel area and that some of the weapons were seized. The army said efforts were being made to apprehend those involved (Lebanese army X account, June 27, 2025).
• “Sources” said that Lebanese authorities seized $7 million in luggage which was on a plane that arrived at Beirut International Airport from an African country. “Sources” added that the owners of the luggage came from a town in south Lebanon. The Financial Crimes Bureau was instructed to investigate the affair, and the governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Karim Saeed, ordered the money to be placed in the bank’s safe for further investigation (al-Hadath, June 28, 2025).
• The Syrian regime’s internal security forces in al-Qusayr in the Homs Governorate, on the border with Lebanon, foiled an attempt to smuggle weapons into Lebanese territory. The commander of the security patrol force that seized the shipment said they had received information that a Hezbollah cell was planning to smuggle a weapons truck, and as a result forces were sent to the border and halted the truck. He said the shipment included Kornet anti-tank missiles and two launchers, as well as RPGs (the Syrian regime’s Telegram channel and the general security directorate’s Facebook page, June 24, 2025).
•  The internal security directorate in the al-Nabak area in the northern countryside of Damascus, near the border with Lebanon, in cooperation with the anti-narcotics unit, seized a shipment of three million Captagon pills and about 50 kilograms of cannabis smuggled from Lebanon. The next day, it was reported that another smuggling attempt from Lebanon of 500,000 Captagon pills 500 hashish tablets and 165 kilograms of cannabis smuggled from Lebanon was foiled. Two suspects were arrested and transferred for further legal processing. Brigadier General Khaled Eid, head of the anti-narcotics department, said that since the overthrow of the previous regime in December 2024, the contents and equipment of 13 drug manufacturing laboratories had been confiscated and nearly 320 million Captagon pills, the drug Hezbollah and the Assad regime distributed around the world (Syrian ministry of the interior X account, June 27-28, 2025; Akhbar al-Sharq Agency, June 28, 2025).

   
Right: Weapons seized on the Syria-Lebanon border (Syrian regime’s Telegram channel, June 24, 2025). Left: Preventing the smuggling of Captagon pills (Syrian ministry of the interior website, June 28, 2025)

The Reconstruction of Lebanon

• The World Bank approved an allocation of $250 million to Lebanon to assist in the reconstruction and renovation of critical infrastructure damaged during the campaign against Israel, in restoring essential services and in clearing rubble in the affected areas. The World Bank stated that the goal was to strengthen the economic and social impacts of the reconstruction process as quickly as possible by setting priorities and shortening timelines. According to World Bank estimates, the total direct damage to ten key sectors in Lebanon was $7.2 billion, while the cost of reconstruction was expected to be $11 billion (al-Sharq al-Awsat, June 25, 2025). Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the allocation and said it represented an important step in the reconstruction process. He said the support would strengthen the reconstruction efforts led by the government and would attract additional investments that the country needed (Nawaf Salam’s X account, June 25 2025).

The Palestinians in Lebanon

• Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmed al-Hajjar denied that the government had set a timetable for the handover of weapons in the Palestinian refugee camps. He said the decision had been made and would be implemented, and as far as he knew, the main reason for the delay was internal disagreements among the Palestinian factions. He said the government was determined to resolve the issue gradually and in coordination with the Palestinians, avoiding overwhelming Lebanon with problems that could be resolved in better ways, even if it took longer (Independent in Arabic, June 28, 2025).
• Sarhan Sarhan, a Fatah figure in Lebanon, said that “everyone” was committed to expanding the authority of the Lebanese state over all of its territory, including inside the refugee camps. He claimed that the Palestinians were not opposed to regulating the disarmament, an issue that the Palestinian ambassador to Beirut, Ashraf Dabour, had discussed again with the president and other Lebanese officials (al-Nahar, June 28, 2025).

^[1] Located in the Nabatieh Governate in south Lebanon.
^[2] Hezbollah and the Palestinian terrorist organizations operating in Lebanon.
^[3] Ashura: the tenth day of the first month (Muharram) in the Muslim calendar. The Shi'ites mark it as a day of mourning for the death of Imam Hussein bin Ali and others from the family of Ali bin Abu Talib in the Battle of Karbala in the year 680 CE)
^[4] Iran, Hezbollah, the Palestinian organizations operating in Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria, and the Houthis in Yemen.

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