Tony Boulos: Hezbollah’s ISIS-like ideology fuels Lebanon’s instability

BEIRUT — In an interview with Suroyo TV Lebanon, political analyst, author, and journalist Tony Boulos offered an in-depth assessment of Lebanon’s current political and security landscape. He addressed the recent attack on the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), its broader implications, the role of Iran-backed Hezbollah, and Iran’s wider influence in the country.

Commenting on the attack against the LAF, Boulos said the incident demands an explanation beyond mere technical or human error. He urged investigators to consider the possibility that it was linked to an ongoing campaign of incitement fueled by the failure to enforce disarmament resolutions. In this context, he suggested, the bombing could be seen as a deliberate message from Hezbollah and Iran to the LAF, warning that any military unit attempting to approach Hezbollah’s facilities would face severe repercussions.

Boulos stressed that the repeated absence of Shia ministers from cabinet meetings does not obstruct or nullify government decisions, as no single political faction’s absence can invalidate resolutions passed by the council. “When Hezbollah launched hostilities with Israel, became involved in the Syrian conflict, and issued threats against Gulf states — actions that led to Lebanon’s regional isolation — it did so without consulting other political factions,” he said. “The cabinet and the Lebanese government are therefore under no obligation to follow the directives of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri or Hezbollah.”

He also argued that Hezbollah is in a weakened position compared to previous years. “Hezbollah cannot repeat the events of 7 May,” he said, “because Hassan Nasrallah no longer holds the same level of influence, and the supply lines the group once relied on from Syria during the eras of Hafez and Bashar al-Assad have been severed.”

According to Boulos, Iran is actively working to strengthen its grip on Lebanon’s political scene through Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, using a mix of threats, support for Hezbollah, and diplomatic outreach. He warned that Lebanon has paid a heavy price for aligning itself with Iran and the Khamenei regime, which he described as promoting an “extremist, ISIS-like terrorist ideology” that turns children into militants and fosters instability. “Such an ideology,” he concluded, “is fundamentally incompatible with the values and interests of Lebanon’s Shi’ite community.”

Boulos accused Hezbollah of exploiting the Shia community to entrench its military presence in Lebanon, creating what he called a “Captagon Emirate.” He claimed the group uses its arsenal to threaten all Lebanese factions and, alongside Israel and Syria, has played a role in occupying Beirut. He said Hezbollah and Berri ultimately accepted a ceasefire due to their inability to sustain fighting after suffering significant losses.

He advocated for direct negotiations between the Lebanese state and Israel, stressing the need to reduce Hezbollah’s influence in Lebanese politics while maintaining the constitutional rights of Hezbollah-aligned ministers to voice objections solely within the cabinet.

Boulos also called on the public prosecutor to hold accountable any parties obstructing the state’s implementation of disarmament decisions, describing such obstruction as tantamount to rebellion against the state. Finally, he voiced support for the anticipated message from US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack and Deputy US Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus, emphasizing the importance of Lebanon responding constructively and beginning full implementation of the message’s provisions.