Lebanese president accuses Hezbollah of pushing state toward collapse for Iran

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Joseph Aoun, the president of Lebanon, on Monday accused the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah of seeking to push the country toward collapse in service of Iran’s strategic interests, as fighting intensifies between Hezbollah and Israel.

Speaking during an online meeting with senior European officials, Aoun said the group’s recent missile attack on Israel—launched a week ago—risked dragging Lebanon into a devastating new conflict.

“Whoever launched those missiles wanted to bring about the collapse of the Lebanese state, plunging it into aggression and chaos… all for the sake of the Iranian regime's calculations,” Aoun said.

The Lebanese president described Hezbollah as “an armed group outside the state,” accusing it of disregarding Lebanon’s national interests and the safety of its population.

He also called for direct negotiations with Israel under international auspices to halt the rapidly escalating conflict.

Hezbollah backs Iran’s new supreme leader

Aoun’s criticism came hours after Hezbollah publicly pledged loyalty to Mojtaba Khamenei, who was recently named Iran’s new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei.

Ali Khamenei was killed in recent joint strikes carried out by the United States and Israel targeting Iranian leadership and military infrastructure, a development that dramatically escalated the regional confrontation.

In a statement released Monday, Hezbollah welcomed Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment and reaffirmed its allegiance to Tehran.

“We in Hezbollah extend our warmest congratulations and blessings on this occasion. We renew our pledge of loyalty to this blessed approach and our steadfastness on the path of allegiance,” the group said.

Hezbollah entered the widening Middle East war last week by launching attacks against Israel in response to Ali Khamenei’s killing, opening a new front in Lebanon.

Lebanon caught in expanding regional war

The renewed hostilities mark one of the most dangerous escalations on the Israel–Lebanon front in years, raising fears that the broader conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran could engulf additional countries in the region.

Hezbollah, widely considered Iran’s most powerful regional proxy, possesses a large arsenal of rockets and missiles and maintains significant political and military influence inside Lebanon.

For decades, the group has operated both as a political party within Lebanon’s government and as an independent armed force outside the control of the Lebanese state.

Lebanese officials have repeatedly warned that unilateral military actions by Hezbollah risk dragging the fragile country—already suffering from severe economic and political crises—into a destructive war it cannot afford.

The latest confrontation comes at a time when Lebanon is still grappling with financial collapse, widespread infrastructure deterioration, and political paralysis.

Analysts say the intensifying conflict between Iran and its adversaries could place Lebanon at the center of a broader regional confrontation, particularly if fighting between Hezbollah and Israel escalates into a prolonged war along the southern border.

Aoun’s call for internationally mediated negotiations reflects growing concern among Lebanese authorities that the country could face devastating consequences if the conflict continues to expand.