Lebanon must break Hezbollah’s grip and reclaim the South

Lebanon stands at a critical crossroads. As the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) approaches its end, Beirut faces a defining choice: continue relying on international peacekeepers to manage an unstable border or seize the opportunity to restore the Lebanese state’s authority over its own territory. After two decades of failed promises, repeated military escalations and devastating destruction, Lebanon can no longer afford to confuse international monitoring with genuine sovereignty.

The debate over UNIFIL’s future is about far more than peacekeepers and border security. It concerns Hezbollah’s independent military power, Iran’s regional ambitions and Lebanon’s ability to determine its own national destiny. Extending an international mission without confronting these underlying problems risks preserving the very conditions that have repeatedly pushed the country toward war.

The fundamental question is simple: how can Lebanon achieve lasting peace while an armed organization retains the power to make decisions about war and peace outside the authority of the state?