Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) boasted that Lebanon’s missile capabilities are due to the support of Iran and serve as Iran’s front line in fighting Israel.
“Whatever you see in Gaza and Lebanon is with our support, these days they use missiles instead of simple rockets,” IRGC Aerospace chief was reported saying.
He added that Lebanon is at the forefront of Iran’s battle against Israel, essentially affirming that Iran recognizes Lebanon as its proxy against Israel.
Making Lebanon an extension of Iran violates the country’s sovereignty and independence, adding that it imposes on Lebanon any and all conflicts between these two foreign countries.
With this, Iran can and will use its rockets to fire from Lebanon to Israel if need be and whenever it wants to, even if Lebanon doesn’t agree to it. It will fall on the Lebanese people to pay the price of the heavy consequences as its territory becomes an arena for Iran’s battle with Israel.
This does not come as a surprise with the existence of Iran-backed Hezbollah, led by Lebanese Hassan Nasrallah, who has put his hand in Lebanon’s government with the full support of the president’s political party, the FPM.
In response to the IRGC’s public statement, former Lebanese president General Michel Suleiman called on President Michel Aoun “who has sworn to the independence and territorial integrity of the country” to take action immediately to the threat on Lebanon’s sovereignty that must be upheld.
Similarly, the advisor to Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri tweeted, “Lebanon has not and will not be the front line in the confrontation on behalf of Iran. The Lebanese will not pay any price on behalf of the Iranian regime.”
The IRGC’s statement was reported by local media on the eve of the death anniversary of its former General and Quds Force Commander, Qassem Soleimani. The Israeli army is reportedly on high alert in preparation for a potential response attack.
As for Lebanon, it doesn’t seem to be preparing to deal with the consequences and protect itself and its residents, leaving it to Hezbollah to decide whether its loyalty should be with Lebanon and its people or with Iran, as the interests of both countries are not aligned at this stage.
