Kataeb Party Political Bureau member Joelle Bou Abboud warned that Hezbollah’s military activities and strategic choices are prolonging the war in Lebanon and leaving the country increasingly vulnerable. She said any lasting resolution will require dismantling the group’s armed infrastructure.

Speaking to LBCI, Bou Abboud said Hezbollah’s strategy has failed to shift the balance of power with Israel, instead bringing destruction to its own communities and exposing Lebanon to escalating conflict. She pointed to the group’s intervention in Gaza in 2023, which, she said, allowed Israel to seize five positions in southern Lebanon. The ongoing escalation tied to Iran, she added, has left the entire southern region effectively under Israeli control.

“Hezbollah hasn’t changed the equation,” she said. “Their weapons haven’t kept Israel out; they’ve only opened the door to disaster.”

She accused the group of “strategic deception” and said it has refused to cooperate with the Lebanese army in efforts to confine weapons south of the Litani River. Bou Abboud also warned that Hezbollah’s influence is spreading to other parts of the country, exacerbating displacement and straining communities already facing overcrowding.

She said the course of the conflict in Lebanon is closely linked to any potential deal between the United States and Iran.

“If a settlement stops the activities of these Iran-backed groups and removes Hezbollah as a threat, then the war could end,” she said. “But that also has to include dismantling their military and security structures and limiting their role to politics.”

“If the price of any settlement is halting these armed groups, we welcome it. Otherwise, we don’t. Hezbollah has no right to decide Lebanon’s fate.”

She warned that any agreement that leaves Hezbollah’s military power intact would not halt the fighting.

Discussing the Lebanese army’s withdrawal from border villages, she said the Israeli advance was triggered by Hezbollah’s decision to open a front in support of Iran. Residents, she said, are “caught between the Israeli hammer and Hezbollah’s anvil,” but she praised their courage and rejected any suggestion they were complicit in the conflict.

“These people have stayed on their land,” she said. “They are the reason southern residents can return, and they demand the state be present.”

Acknowledging that the army’s withdrawal was painful, Bou Abboud described it as a necessary move to avoid encirclement and supply shortages. She said military leadership had issued an official statement explaining the circumstances, emphasizing that the state has not abandoned these areas and that some troops remain.

She said the Kataeb Party is working to support residents’ resilience and expressed hope that humanitarian corridors would remain open to ensure aid can reach those in need. She also praised efforts by the Vatican’s ambassador in this regard.

On Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Bou Abboud said his expulsion must be enforced. “His continued presence is unacceptable,” she said, calling the Foreign Ministry’s decision, coordinated with the presidency, both justified and necessary. She rejected any comparisons between Iran and the United States, noting that Washington has supported the Lebanese army rather than taking sides in domestic conflicts.

Commenting on recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, Bou Abboud said the statements suggested the war could drag on despite nearing some objectives. She noted that Iran’s air defenses have been weakened but warned that a political settlement remains unlikely before significant changes in Tehran.

“Regional dynamics have shifted, so there’s no fear that Lebanon will be handed over like it was in the past under Syrian control," she said.

Turning to the economy, Bou Abboud said she does not expect a blockade but warned that the key question is how the war will end within Lebanon, and at what cost.

On the investigation into the 2020 Beirut port explosion, she said all parties are awaiting an indictment and the full revelation of the truth. She added that the justice minister has removed obstacles that had previously hindered Judge Tarek Bitar from carrying out his duties.