Justice Minister Adel Nassar stressed that any military activity carried out by Hezbollah or other groups operating outside the authority of the State would be subject to prosecution, emphasizing that individuals involved would be held legally accountable.

“Any military activity carried out by Hezbollah or any individual outside the framework of State authority will be prosecuted under the law,” Nassar told Annahar. “Anyone who conducts military operations outside State institutions will face legal cases and will be referred for prosecution whenever they are apprehended.”

Nassar underscored that “there is no legal cover on the ground for any armed action outside the state,” noting that “the evidence is clear: whoever launches a missile is subject to a public prosecutor’s decision, as is anyone who incites it.” He said the government’s recent decision reaffirmed an existing legal principle, pointing to “past accumulations that relied on a certain logic to justify the current reality.”

“The judiciary enforces the law, and anyone who carries out military action outside legality bears individual responsibility for it,” he said, emphasizing that “removing cover means that acts outside the law cannot be shielded by any political pretext.”

Responding to criticism from Hezbollah MP Mohammed Raad, who had attacked the government’s decision, Nassar condemned the group’s recent missile launches, saying they “brought disaster to Lebanon, as well as an Israeli retaliation that caused deaths, displacement, and tragedy.”

The minister questioned what “balance of terror” could justify actions that force the State to intervene “to mitigate the damage caused by adventures that have nothing to do with Lebanon’s interests.”

“Causing an attack and then demanding the State deal with its consequences is not the logic of a State,” Nassar said. “The State should not be drawn into a confrontation because of unilateral decisions that do not reflect national consensus.”

On the cabinet debate over the issue, Nassar highlighted clear divisions between ministers affiliated with Hezbollah and those aligned with the Amal Movement.

“The session clearly showed a distinction between the positions of Amal ministers and Hezbollah ministers. Amal ministers voted in favor of the proposed measure, while Hezbollah ministers recorded objections and reservations,” he said.

He concluded by stressing national unity over partisan claims: “The Shiite community does not belong to anyone, and it cannot be reduced to one or two parties. We are united as Lebanese, and those who make wrong choices must bear responsibility. The State cannot be held accountable for decisions it did not take, nor should Lebanon be drawn into conflicts that do not serve its people or its stability."