Lebanese Christian MP Warns Islamic Hezbollah Terror Group: ‘We Can Mobilize 20,000 Fighters’

The Iran-backed terrorist organization Hezbollah is dragging Lebanon into a war with Israel at Tehran’s behest, according to Lebanese Christian Maronite MP Camille Dory Chamoun, who declared that three-quarters of Lebanese people oppose Hezbollah, and that Sunnis, Druze, and Christians will unite to act in defense of Lebanon’s interests against Hezbollah’s actions, and can even mobilize 20,000 fighters to do so if necessary.

In a fiery interview with Al-Mashhad TV (UAE) on Thursday, Chamoun blamed the country’s Hezbollah terror group and its Iranian backers for the ongoing conflict with Israel, as reported by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

The prominent Lebanese political figure asserted that the decision to launch attacks on Israel from Lebanon was orchestrated by Hezbollah, or as he called them, “Hezb-Iran,” implying Iran’s control over the group.

“The decision to launch a war against Israel from our southern border was made by Hezbollah, or maybe I should call them Hezb-Iran, because I don’t think Allah wants to have anything to do with this country,” he said.

He also emphasized that Lebanon cannot bear the financial burden of the damage caused by the conflict, stating, “The people who made the decision to start this war should bear the full responsibility for it.” 

“I am talking about the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is behind Hezbollah and everything that is happening in south Lebanon and, obviously, in the Gaza Strip,” he added.

In a direct message to Hezbollah, Chamoun noted that “75% of the Lebanese people oppose your existence, your weapons, your attitude towards the Lebanese state, and the wars you embroil us in.” 

“You are serving Iran’s interests while we are serving the interests of Lebanon,” he insisted.

He went on to suggest that if Hezbollah wishes to negotiate or even split the country, his side is more prepared. 

“This is the reality and we are not going to give up. If you want to negotiate, fine. If you want to split the country, go ahead. We have no problem with that. We are more ready than you,” he asserted. “We have weapons, we have soldiers. We have everything that is necessary.” 

“Furthermore, we represent over 75% of the country,” he reiterated.

When pressed by the interviewer, who accused him of “declaring war” on Hezbollah, Chamoun confirmed the seriousness of his statement and the existence of an armed force ready to act.

“They know full well that at zero hour, we can send 20,000 fighters to the streets, apart from the Lebanese army that will be split in two again, like in 1975,” he added.

He clarified that these fighters come from various Lebanese communities, including Sunnis, Druze, and Christians, and are prepared to unite and act if necessary. 

“We are relying on ourselves, and I know that [prominent Lebanese Christian Maronite politician and leader of the Lebanese Forces party] Dr. [Samir] Geagea is also fully ready,” he said. 

“We are all ready,” he added. “We do not have rockets that threaten Tel Aviv and beyond, but we have personal weapons, like we always have had, and like others have.”

Previously, Chamoun has credited Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon with solving the country’s “Palestinian problem.”

The matter comes as Israel continues its battle to dismantle Hamas in Gaza after the latter’s unprecedented October 7 massacre — the deadliest attack against Jewish people since the Nazi Holocaust. 

The multi-pronged October attack saw some 3,000 terrorists burst into Israel by land, sea, and air and gun down hundreds of participants at an outdoor music festival while others went door to door hunting for Jewish men, women, and children in local towns who were then subject to torture, rape, execution, immolation, and kidnapping.

The massacre, which drew parallels to scenes from the Nazi-era Holocaust, resulted in nearly 1,200 dead inside the Jewish state, over 4,800 more wounded, and at least 241 hostages of all ages taken — of which nearly half remain in Gaza. The vast majority of the victims are civilians and include dozens of American citizens.

The following day, Hezbollah fired guided rockets and artillery shells at Israel in response to the Israel-Hamas war that began a day earlier. Since then, intensified clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have significantly escalated tensions in the region, with exchanges of fire across the Lebanon-Israel border leading to major displacements.

As a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and terrorist group, Hezbollah wields significant influence in Lebanon, effectively shaping its political and security landscape, and is often perceived as a state within a state. Its military strength has grown considerably, at times surpassing the capabilities of the Lebanese Army. With support from Iran and political backing from Syria, the group has expanded its activities beyond Lebanon, notably participating in the Syrian Civil War alongside the Assad regime. 

Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by over a dozen countries and international entities, including major Western nations, members of the European Union, and most Arab League member states, due to its involvement in terrorist activities against American, French, Israeli, and other targets.

Consequently, it poses significant security concerns to Israel and has contentious relations with the United States. 

In 1983, Hezbollah bombed the Beirut Marine barracks in Lebanon, killing 241 American servicemen in what was one of the deadliest pre-9/11 attacks against the U.S.

Speaking at a White House event marking the 35th anniversary of the attack in 2018, then President Donald Trump stated that, “No terrorist group other than al Qaeda has more American blood on its hands.”

In February, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese terrorist group, claimed Hezbollah’s attacks had displaced 100,000 Israelis and another two million could lose their homes, as part of a series of escalating threats against the Jewish state from Beirut since October 7.

Meanwhile, former Lebanese President Michel Aoun slammed Hezbollah for its persistent attacks on Israel, stating that “one party cannot make decisions about a conflict like this all by itself,” and noting that Lebanon has no obligation to defend the Gaza-based Palestinians as it has “no treaty with Gaza.”

In December, Middle East analyst and commentator Caroline Glick warned that the Biden administration is proposing an “Israeli defeat” in the country’s north and effectively “standing with Hezbollah against Israel,” pointing to a proposed resolution to the Israel-Lebanon conflict that could strengthen Hezbollah  and threaten both Israel and the U.S.

Lebanon has been grappling with an economic crisis for four years, marked by shortages of fuel, medicines, and basic goods, with the nation’s financial system coming to a standstill following a staggering 95 percent plunge in the local currency’s value. With 75% of its population living in poverty, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cautioned that the country might experience hyperinflation without urgent action. 

Additionally, Lebanon has been without a president since Aoun’s term ended in October 2022, as parliament has yet to elect a successor.

In October, Lebanon’s caretaker Economy Minister Amin Salam, warned that entering into battle against Israel would result in Lebanon plunging into “the Dark Ages,” noting that the “vulnerable” crisis-stricken country “cannot afford a war.” 

According to him, even a “small escalation” would result in Lebanon paying a “very heavy price.”

On Tuesday, Hezbollah published drone footage of northern Israel, including the Haifa port and sensitive military sites, as tensions escalate and the IDF shoots down suspected drones over Western Galilee.

Hezbollah has published a video showing one of its reconnaissance drones flying over northern Israel, including the Haifa port. pic.twitter.com/7UxfpiX3Io

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 18, 2024

Meanwhile, U.S. Special Envoy Amos Hochstein met with Hezbollah-aligned Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut to encourage de-escalation with Israel amid rising cross-border tensions.

The matter comes as the IDF warns that Hezbollah’s escalating attacks are pushing the region towards a wider conflict “that could have devastating consequences for Lebanon and the entire region,” with IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari vowing that Israel will ensure the safe return of its citizens to northern border towns.