Beirut warns Hamas against jeopardizing Lebanon’s security with attacks on Israel from its territory

The secretary-general of the Lebanese Supreme Defense Council, Mohammad al-Mustafa, told reporters on Friday that the council would recommend that the Beirut cabinet issue a warning to Hamas against using Lebanese territory to conduct any actions that could endanger national security. The statement addresses the recent Hamas attack launched from Lebanese soil against neighboring Israel.

While Hamas is mainly concentrated in Gaza and to a lesser extent in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), there are also Hamas operatives based in Lebanon who occasionally fire rockets against northern Israeli communities. The warning from Lebanese authorities comes as the military has reportedly already seized some 800 rockets stored in a “Palestinian refugee camp” in northern Lebanon. The term refers to descendants of Arab refugees from Israel's 1948 War of Independence who have been largely denied Lebanese citizenship for the past 77 years.

Lebanon’s warning to Hamas is part of its broader effort, since the November 2024 ceasefire between the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah and Israel, to disarm “all armed groups in Lebanon.” The overall objective is to strengthen the fragile Lebanese state – a difficult task, given that the weakened Hezbollah is still regarded as more powerful than the country’s conventional military.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, a former army commander, has pledged to enhance the government’s authority across its territory.

“The president underscored Lebanon’s refusal to be drawn into regional conflicts, highlighting the importance of Palestinian rights without compromising Lebanese stability,” Mustafa told journalists.

“The prime minister also stressed the need to hand over illegal weapons and to prevent Hamas or any other faction from undermining Lebanon’s national security and stability,” the Supreme Defense Council said in a statement.

While anti-Israel sentiments are widespread among Lebanese citizens, there is also a strong opposition to war with the Jewish state. Many civilians blame Hezbollah for provoking extensive Israeli military operations in Lebanon since the beginning of the war. Since Oct. 8, 2023, dozens of Israelis have been killed and tens of thousands have been evacuated from their homes as a result of the Hezbollah aggression against northern Israel.

Israel has responded by eliminating thousands of Hezbollah terrorists and wiping out most of the terror group’s leadership, including its top leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

In January 2024, Hamas’ deputy leader, Saleh al-Arouri, was killed in an Israeli drone strike in southern Beirut. The strike was considered an embarrassment, as the Hamas official was residing in an area under Hezbollah's jurisdiction at the time.

Former pro-Hezbollah Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the Israeli assassination of al-Arouri as a "new Israeli crime intended to spur a new phase of the conflict, following daily attacks in the south [of Lebanon].”

However, the tone in Beirut has shifted significantly, and the current Lebanese government appears to recognize that addressing the presence of Hezbollah, Hamas and other armed groups may be necessary to avoid future Israeli military actions on Lebanese territory.

In April, Hezbollah claimed it had withdrawn its forces from most of its military positions in southern Lebanon. The internationally brokered ceasefire stipulates that Hezbollah withdraw north of the Litani River to reduce tensions at the border between Lebanon and Israel.

Israel remains concerned that Hezbollah is trying to maintain a covert presence in the area as it works to rearm and regroup for future clashes.