BEIRUT — After a meeting Tuesday in Maarab with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Elie Mahfoud, head of Sovereign Front for Lebanon bloc and a lawyer close to the LF, accused Hezbollah of being "the origin of the Israeli occupation" of south Lebanon, where the Israeli army maintains positions on five sites.

"Before the irresponsible decision to get involved in the war in Palestine and before engaging in the [2014 civil war in Syria] to protect Bashar al-Assad’s regime, we were living in security. Before interfering in the affairs of Arab countries — whether through security, smuggling, or sabotage — our relations with the international community were stable," Mahfoud said in a statement.

Relations between Lebanon and the Gulf states have been strained in recent years on diplomatic, political, and economic levels due to Washington's allies' strong stances on the Iranian axis.

Addressing Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, Mahfoud said the party’s "militias have brought occupation back to the South and caused significant destruction." He emphasized that Hezbollah’s project is "incompatible with the foundations of the Lebanese Republic," saying it would be more appropriate to "dissolve the party’s military wing and organize within the framework of the law, like all Lebanese."

The Movement for Change leader expressed his "fears for Lebanon," lamenting that "the crisis related to the persistence of an armed militia acting as an agent of a foreign state has still not been resolved." He said the issue is not limited to disarmament but also extends to "restoring state control over sectors seized by the militia, notably the telecommunications network."

In his view, the Lebanese state should "deploy military units to the borders," proceed with the "immediate expulsion of Syrians illegally present in Lebanese territory," and "move forward with the Beirut port explosion case by ensuring full protection and coverage for the judicial investigator, without immunities or special protections." He also directly criticized Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, accusing him of "continuing to appoint Shiite officials to state positions."