USUP President Ibrahim Mrad: Situation in Lebanon is going from bad to worse

SID EL-BAOUCHRIECH, Lebanon — After last night’s Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, reportedly targeting drone factories operated by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, Ibrahim Mrad, President of the Universal Syriac Union Party (USUP), issued a stark warning. In a statement released today, he described Lebanon’s situation as increasingly dire and “heading toward a full-fledged crisis.”

Mrad attributed the complexity of the crisis to the ongoing failure to implement international resolutions and the inability to confine weapons solely to the Lebanese state.

“Internal and external pressures are steadily mounting, and the continued political and security stalemate risks triggering crises on multiple fronts,” he stated. “This weakens what remains of state institutions, diminishes their authority, and threatens their continuity.”

Mrad criticized Hezbollah for clinging to its arsenal, which the group justifies as a defense against “Israeli threats.” He argued that such justifications no longer hold weight, especially given widespread national and international consensus that all weapons must fall under the exclusive control of the Lebanese state.

“The persistence of this reality undermines Lebanon’s sovereignty, disrupts the functioning of constitutional institutions, and prevents the establishment of a just and robust state for all its citizens,” Mrad added.

He called on the Lebanese government to fulfill its national and constitutional responsibilities by taking decisive steps to implement international obligations and reinforce state sovereignty.

“The choice is clear,” Mrad concluded. “Either Lebanon becomes a single state with one legitimate authority over arms, or it descends into total chaos and destruction — a scenario no one desires. However, if silence and inaction prevail, chaos and destruction will inevitably become our reality.”