Beirut is sending a quiet but urgent message: if Washington strikes Iran, Lebanon cannot afford another war.
Lebanon’s government has urged Hezbollah not to retaliate if the United States launches strikes against Iran, warning that any escalation could trigger devastating Israeli attacks on Lebanese civilian infrastructure.
Speaking in Geneva, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji said authorities had appealed directly to the Iran-backed militant group to avoid actions that could create “bad situations” for civilians. His remarks come as tensions mount over the possibility of renewed U.S. military action against Tehran.
Rajji said Lebanese officials had received indications that Israel could respond far more aggressively than in previous conflicts if Hezbollah intervenes — potentially targeting key civilian sites, including Beirut’s international airport.
During the most recent Israel-Hezbollah war in 2024, the airport remained operational despite widespread bombardment. In the 2006 conflict, however, Israeli strikes shut it down. Repeated rounds of fighting have left thousands of Lebanese civilians dead, wounded or displaced.
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, began firing rockets into northern Israel one day after Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack, drawing Lebanon into months of cross-border exchanges. That confrontation escalated into full-scale war in September 2024, when Israeli airstrikes killed much of Hezbollah’s leadership and a ground invasion further weakened the group before a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued near-daily strikes in Lebanon, saying they are aimed at preventing Hezbollah from rebuilding its capabilities.
Rajji said Beirut is also urging Western partners to press Israel not to strike civilian infrastructure in any future escalation. His comments follow a U.S. State Department order for nonessential personnel to leave the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, citing rising regional tensions.
Lebanon has long been a flashpoint in U.S.-Iran hostilities due to Tehran’s backing of Hezbollah, which Washington designates as a terrorist organization. For Beirut, the stakes are clear: another regional war could devastate a country already struggling with economic collapse and political instability.
