Lebanese Foreign Minister Says Israel Has Right to Continue Attacks

In a rare and dramatic departure from Lebanon’s traditional rhetoric, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji declared in an interview that Israel “has the right to continue its attacks” so long as Hezbollah remains armed. The comments, aired on Sky News and reported Wednesday, sparked immediate backlash from Hezbollah-aligned factions and ignited a political firestorm in Beirut.

Rajji’s remarks directly challenge Hezbollah’s dominance in Lebanon and mark one of the strongest statements by a Lebanese official in favor of Israel’s right to self-defense. “So long as Hezbollah is not completely disarmed, Israel has the right to continue its attacks,” he stated, referencing the ongoing skirmishes and cross-border hostilities that have intensified since the Hamas-Israel war began.

The reaction from Hezbollah and its media affiliates was swift and furious. The pro-Hezbollah newspaper Al Akhbar labeled Rajji “the speaker of the enemy in the government” and accused him of transforming Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry into “a mobile mouthpiece” for pro-Israel messaging.

“There is no point in warning him,” the editorial added, “because the whole Foreign Ministry is no longer Lebanese in its rhetoric or role.”

Hezbollah parliamentarian Ali Ammar echoed the outrage, calling Rajji “a resonant political, national, and moral failure.” He demanded that the Lebanese Prime Minister and President take action against the foreign minister, warning that his stance could not be tolerated within a government that claims to represent all Lebanese.

Rajji’s statement arrives at a tense moment in the region. Israel has made clear it holds Hezbollah responsible for rocket attacks and provocations emanating from Lebanese territory. In response, Israel has continued targeted strikes aimed at Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

For years, Hezbollah has operated as a state within a state, maintaining its own armed wing in defiance of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the group’s disarmament. While many Lebanese fear the consequences of a wider conflict, others like Rajji appear increasingly willing to challenge Hezbollah’s grip on national policy and its alliance with Iran.

His comments align with a growing sentiment across the region that groups like Hezbollah have sacrificed national stability for ideological wars. For Israel, the remarks are a rare public acknowledgment from within Lebanon that its military actions are seen by some not as aggression but as a justified response to terrorist threats.

As Hezbollah and its supporters scramble to contain the fallout, Rajji’s stance may signal a subtle but significant shift within Lebanese politics one that dares to prioritize sovereignty and peace over militancy and provocation.

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