Solidarity with Iran: Will Hezbollah join Iran-Israel-US war?

Report by Bassam Abou Zeid, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi    

From the Baabda Presidential Palace to the headquarters of Parliament in Ain el-Tineh, Lebanese officials are sending clear reassurances that Hezbollah will not engage in the ongoing conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States.

Intermittent communications are underway between President Joseph Aoun's advisors and three key Hezbollah figures: Wafiq Safa on security matters, Hussein Khalil, and MP Mohammad Raad on political affairs. Direct contact with the group's Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, has not been established.

Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri maintains daily, intensive contact with Hezbollah's leadership. Berri has publicly declared with complete certainty that Lebanon will not be dragged into the escalating war.

According to informed sources, multiple American warnings have been delivered to the Lebanese government regarding the risks of Hezbollah entering the conflict. 

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack and Ambassador Lisa Johnson have conveyed these messages. 

At the same time, Israel has issued its own warnings—including military action, most notably the targeting of Al-Manar TV's broadcast station in Taoumat Niha. The strike marked a significant escalation, as the station had not been targeted throughout the recent war but came precisely as the U.S. was striking Iran's nuclear sites.

Hezbollah has yet to officially state its position on joining the war. 

While its leadership continues to issue political statements in solidarity with Iran, the group has shown no indications of planning military involvement.

Sources close to the ongoing contacts with Hezbollah cite multiple reasons for its current restraint. The group recognizes that entering the war would not significantly alter the evolving regional equations, particularly as its military capabilities are no longer what they once were. 

Preserving remaining resources and avoiding exposure to Israel's military machine has become a strategic priority, especially with supply routes severed and diminished Iranian support.

The same sources emphasize that both Hezbollah's support base and many Lebanese citizens categorically reject any return to conflict, especially as the country has yet to recover from the fallout of the previous "support war." 

There are also growing concerns about the broader implications for Lebanon's Shiite community if the situation escalates further.

The sources concluded: "If Hezbollah chooses to override all these factors and join the war, it would essentially be a suicidal move."