The head of a Lebanese Christian coalition is urging the U.S. and its Western allies to send troops to help dismantle Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group operating in Lebanon. Ibrahim Mrad, president of the Universal Syriac Union Party and secretary-general of the Lebanese Christian Front, called for coordinated international intervention with the United Nations and the Lebanese army to decisively eliminate the group’s threat.
Mrad warned that if this intervention is delayed, Hezbollah’s influence would grow stronger, particularly in light of Iran’s support, making it even harder to disband the militia. He expressed concern that Hezbollah continues to rebuild its military capabilities despite prior Israeli efforts to target and weaken the group.
Although a fragile ceasefire was agreed upon between Israel and Hezbollah in November, reports suggest that Hezbollah has been recruiting and rearming itself, possibly jeopardizing the ceasefire’s stability. Mrad and the Lebanese Christian Front are urging the Lebanese Parliament to request the deployment of international forces to prevent further destabilization.
Mrad stressed that while a majority of Lebanon’s population opposes Hezbollah, the current strength of the Lebanese army and government is insufficient to tackle the militia effectively on their own. He pointed to the failure of past international resolutions, such as U.N. Resolutions 1559 and 1701, which aimed to disarm militias and stop Hezbollah’s growth.
The United States has not commented on whether it has been approached to send troops, though U.S. intelligence indicates that Hezbollah is continuing efforts to strengthen its presence in the region. Meanwhile, Israel’s defense minister warned that Israel would no longer differentiate between Lebanon and Hezbollah if the ceasefire fails.