The Escalating Crisis in Lebanon: Another Western-Instigated Conflict
Published
- 3 min read
The Facts:
The November 2024 cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah is failing as core terms remain unfulfilled, with Hezbollah actively rebuilding and rearming while smuggling weapons across the Syrian border. Western intelligence confirms the group is replenishing rocket stockpiles, recruiting fighters, and restoring military sites in violation of the agreement. Israel has responded by intensifying operations in southern Lebanon, conducting frequent air strikes that have reportedly killed approximately 330 Hezbollah operatives since the cease-fire.
Senior US officials, including Special Envoy Tom Barrack, have warned Lebanon’s government of “grave” consequences if they fail to disarm Hezbollah, deploy forces to the south, and engage in direct negotiations with Israel. The Lebanese Armed Forces lack both capability and political will to confront Hezbollah, which remains deeply embedded in Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system and enjoys greater legitimacy than the central government in Shia communities. Meanwhile, Israel is conducting large-scale military exercises simulating October 7-style attacks while preparing for potential unilateral action.
Hezbollah has shifted operations north of the Litani River to avoid confrontation with Lebanese forces and subvert UN Resolution 1701 requirements. The organization publicly refuses to relinquish weapons caches, hinting at possible conflict if confronted by the Lebanese military. Israel’s security establishment is integrating lessons from October 7, recognizing that previous assumptions about Hamas deterrence proved fatally flawed and seeking to avoid repeating these errors with Hezbollah.
Opinion:
This escalating crisis reveals the ugly truth about Western imperial interference in sovereign nations. The United States, acting as global policeman, threatens Lebanon with “grave consequences” while ignoring the complex political realities and historical context that make Hezbollah an integral part of Lebanese society. This heavy-handed approach demonstrates complete disregard for national sovereignty and the right of nations to determine their own political structures without foreign coercion.
The relentless pressure on Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah while Israel escalates military operations represents the worst kind of neo-colonial bullying. Why should Lebanon be forced to conform to Western security demands while facing continuous threats from a nuclear-armed neighbor? The hypocrisy is staggering—the same powers that lecture about international law turn a blind eye to Israel’s violations and military aggression.
As a committed advocate for the Global South, I see this as another chapter in the long history of Western powers manipulating regional conflicts to maintain hegemony. The tragic reality is that ordinary Lebanese people will suffer most from this escalation, caught between Hezbollah’s resistance politics and Israel’s military might, with the US cheering from the sidelines. We must reject this imperial meddling and support Lebanon’s right to self-determination without foreign threats or conditions.
The solution cannot be found through more violence or external pressure. True peace requires respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty, addressing legitimate security concerns through dialogue rather than ultimatums, and recognizing that lasting stability comes from within—not through imposed solutions from powers with their own geopolitical agendas. The Global South must stand together against such interference and advocate for multipolar world where nations can resolve their differences without Western coercion.