Lebanese Government Clearly Demands Hezbollah Not Participate in a War That Has Nothing to Do With Lebanon

In an exclusive interview with The Armenian Report, Shahan Kandaharian, Editor-in-Chief of Aztag Daily, said the situation in Lebanon remains relatively calm despite rising regional tensions. He explained that while flights were initially disrupted, they are now in the process of being restored following the recent conflict between Iran and Israel.

There was a fear that Lebanon would get involved in this regional conflict through Hezbollah but the Lebanese government prevented such intervention. Kandaharian stated that “The [Lebanese] government clearly demanded Hezbollah not to participate in a war that has nothing to do with Lebanon.” 

After the ceasefire was established, Hezbollah has experienced positional retreats while some ammunition depots have been targeted by Israeli missiles. Israel used this ceasefire as an opportunity to weaken Iranian-backed proxies in the country, including those connected Syria, Iraq, Palestine, and Yemen. “Israel started direct territorial operations after this,” stated Kandaharian. 

There is still Israeli military activity in some areas of southern Lebanon. In addition to this, the increased tension in the region has prompted a return of Israeli drone activity within Lebanon’s airspace. 

“For the past two days, Israeli drones have been endlessly circling Lebanese airspace,” Kandaharian reported. Prior to the ceasefire agreement, activity of Israeli drones in the country’s airspace was regularly detected. 

Despite this, Kandaharian stated that the community is working to set life in Lebanon back to normal. Recently, the dioceses of the Cilician Catholicosate visited the Great House. The delegation included the three Iranian-Armenian dioceses including Tehran, Isfahan, and Atrpatakan. During their visit, the concerns of the local community were discussed. 

Looking ahead, the resolve of the Armenian community in Lebanon, along with the government’s efforts to maintain peace, offers hope as regional tensions continue. 

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