The most significant development of the past weekend was the imposition of US sanctions, at a highly significant time, on members of Hezbollah, security officials in the Amal Movement, and two Shiite officers in the Lebanese Army and General Security. This came before the Pentagon meeting and after the third round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, sponsored by the US, which established two tracks: security and political.
This move served as a heavy-handed American warning, confirming that Lebanon has indeed entered a new phase, distinct from its predecessors. These sanctions targeted not only Hezbollah in Lebanon but also the Amal Movement and those closest to Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri. This signifies a shift in the US approach and a narrowing of the margin of maneuver previously afforded to Speaker Berri, who has long played the role of mediator, negotiator, and facilitator in the relationship between the state and Hezbollah. The demand in the coming phase is for a repositioning and clear, unambiguous stances that do not obstruct the process of rebuilding the state.
The equally harsh message was directed at the state itself, through the targeting of the head of the Lebanese Army Intelligence Bureau in the southern suburbs and the head of the General Security's Analysis Department. This came after the Americans had previously proposed what they considered a "purge" of the army and security services of officers affiliated with or cooperating with Hezbollah. The Lebanese Army's response to the US Treasury Department's statement was conventional and unconvincing to the American administration, which accused Colonel Samer Hamadeh of leaking intelligence information to Hezbollah. This is not the first time the army command has stated that "the loyalty of military personnel is solely to the military institution and the nation, and they are committed to carrying out their duties without any other considerations." Anyone who follows the statements of retired army brigadier generals, including former Military Court President Munir Shehadeh, understands the extent to which these officers defend Hezbollah's agenda and their conviction in its choices outside the framework of the state.
With these sanctions, the United States is moving to a new phase of operational measures and exerting pressure to change the stance of certain powers, whether regarding direct negotiations or the disarmament of Hezbollah. This timing sends a message that the negotiating track is not merely formal or procedural, but a serious process intended to transform Lebanon from a state held hostage to a truly functioning state, and to end the era of the "deep state"—a term coined by Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea—which obstructs executive decisions, prevents political transformation, and hinders the implementation of the decision to monopolize the use of force.
According to available information, the US administration no longer accepts Hezbollah's control over key aspects of the Lebanese state. It seeks to support the political authority, specifically the presidency and the government, in restructuring power on new foundations. These foundations are based on extending state control and consolidating the decision of war and peace solely in its hands, as stipulated in the presidential oath and in the government resolutions issued during the sessions of August 5th and 7th, and the session of March 2nd.
On the resistance front, this group viewed the sanctions as a step aimed at intimidating forces and figures who reject negotiations with Israel under the terms dictated by the tutelary authority. They saw it as sending a message that continued rejection of American dictates could open the door to punitive measures effectively designed to isolate them politically. This group believes the move is part of a broader effort to impose a political and media blockade on Hezbollah, preventing any official communication or coordination between the party and state institutions. It also serves as a high-level warning to Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, urging him to distance himself from Hezbollah at this stage.
Hezbollah, for its part, continued to level accusations of treason against the Lebanese state. MP Mohammad Raad, head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, stated that "the authorities are adopting the occupation's narrative against the resistance, and their reliance on the occupation to disarm the resistance fighters is a heinous crime against the nation." Meanwhile, MP Hassan Fadlallah, who was sanctioned by the US, vowed to confront what he called "any proxy force, similar to the Free Lebanon Army in 1978 and the South Lebanon Army in 1984, just as we confront the enemy." This came in response to inaccurate reports about the establishment of a special army brigade for the south, tasked with military coordination for the disarmament of Hezbollah.
This is not the first time Hezbollah has adopted escalatory stances, but this time it has noticed a seriousness in the firm approach taken towards it prior to the Pentagon meeting and a decisive decision by the Presidency, in coordination with the Prime Minister, to pursue direct negotiations with Israel against its wishes. This is especially significant given that Hezbollah accuses the state of failing to secure a ceasefire and claims to be inflicting losses on Israeli forces in the south through its drone attacks.
However, Hezbollah ignores the equation that has become clear in Lebanon: there will be no complete ceasefire in the south, nor an Israeli army withdrawal, as long as Hezbollah does not relinquish its weapons. Anything else is merely an attempt to evade reality. The greatest victims of this situation are the people of southern Lebanon, whose homes were destroyed and who were displaced, forced to live in tents and shelters, and who continue to pay a heavy price for the proxy wars. This necessitates seizing the opportunity presented by negotiations to end the abnormal situation that has transformed the Lebanese state into a mere shell due to the proliferation of weapons, and to end the Israeli occupation so that Lebanon can once again become a sovereign and free state.
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