Lebanese Hezbollah troops march with flags on February 25, 2025, in Beirut, Lebanon. The Lebanese state has struggled with the disarmament of the terrorist group. (Shutterstock/Mahdi313)

How the Iran Strikes May Help Disarm Hezbollah 

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Lebanon may not be able to disarm Hezbollah fully. Still, the Israeli-American military campaign against Iran may now add momentum.

For over a year now, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has been bluffing that he can disarm Hezbollah and remake the Armed Forces into a credible partner for ensuring the security and stability of Lebanon. He has exuded confidence, posturing as a man in control of his country’s fate, in the hopes that America might enter the fray with major financial, technical, and material support to dismantle Hezbollah’s military wing permanently. He may now get his wish, albeit indirectly, by way of the war in Iran. 

Operation Epic Fury, America’s offensive against Iran that began on February 28, will likely lead to a transformation of the regime in Tehran, with the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and much of Iran’s senior defense and security leadership. Following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear missile sites last June, Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile program, military leadership, and civilian command and control will now be left in further disarray, and the remnants of the current regime will struggle to respond to the wave of protests that is likely to follow. 

Iran was already losing influence in the region. Two and a half years of Israeli military campaigns all across the Levant, the Syrian transitional government’s decision to cut off Iranian access, and the diversion of Iranian drones and missiles to Russia for the Ukraine War have all contributed to the decline of Iran’s regional proxies. It should now be clear to all that Iran will not be able to return to its former status as a regional heavyweight for at least the foreseeable future. 

Hezbollah’s Decline Has Left a Windfall for Lebanon

This couldn’t come at a better time for the Lebanese government, which had boxed itself into a corner, making promises it couldn’t keep. When Aoun assumed office in January........

© The National Interest