BEIRUT — In a radio interview, former head of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Joumblatt, said that “the previous equation in Lebanon has changed due to the political and military circumstances and the Israeli aggression."

He said that the "presence of military militias in Lebanon has become a thing of the past," adding that he does not want to see a group of Lebanese being "a tool in the hands of Iran."

Hezbollah suffered significant blows during the 13-month conflict with Israel, which started in October 2023 and escalated in September 2024.  

While Joumblatt said there is an agreement over the implementation of international resolutions,” he pointed out that “Israel will not be satisfied with those resolutions and is violating everything." Since the cease-fire went into effect, Israel has repeatedly carried out airstrikes on Lebanon with the most recent taking place last night in Arab Salim (Nabatieh). Despite that, he said that he has great hopes for the government and the new era.

In response to a question, Joumblatt ruled out a confrontation within the government, considering that “the main file before the cabinet is the reforms required by the International Monetary Fund, the trials that were delayed in the port explosion case, and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

UNSC 1701 stipulates that no armed group should be present south of the Litani River, that the Lebanese army must be deployed in this zone alongside the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and that all Israeli incursions — land, sea and air — must cease.