Hezbollah Clings to Arms, Risking New War with Israel

The powerful Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is under intense pressure to disarm. It has so far refused all calls to do so. This defiance risks a major return to war with neighboring Israel. The situation remains dangerously unstable. Hezbollah is a "hybrid" organization. It functions both as a major political party within Lebanon's government and as a heavily armed militia. Its military wing is considered more powerful than the national Lebanese army. For decades, its stated reason for keeping weapons has been to fight Israel. Multiple United Nations resolutions have called for the group to disarm, but it has ignored them. Regional and Western powers are now pushing Lebanon harder than ever to control Hezbollah. They argue its independent arsenal undermines the state and invites conflict. Analysts say Hezbollah sees its weapons as essential for survival and influence. Giving them up is seen as an unacceptable surrender of power. With neither side backing down, the threat of a new, devastating cross-border war continues to grow. Lebanon, already in a severe economic crisis, faces further potential ruin.