Lebanon’s acting Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said Tuesday he hopes a retaliation by Iran and its allies for the killing of two key Israeli opponents can still be avoided.
“We hope there will be no retaliatory measures,” Bou Habib said during a visit to Cairo. “If there is to be one, it should not be a collective or forceful response that would lead to a major war.”
Bou Habib said his government is trying to prevent the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon from dramatically increasing tensions.
But Bou Habib’s ability to contain Hezbollah and Iran is limited.
Lebanon has been in a state of severe dysfunction for years, and has been without a president since late 2022. The government is in power only temporarily, while the country’s political elite continues to feud.
The Hezbollah militia has a huge influence on the politics and daily life of the Lebanese people. It functions as a state within a state.
