Higher Defense Council meets in Baabda: The decision of war and peace belongs exclusively to the state

BEIRUT — As fighting between Israel and the U.S. on one end and Iran on the other escalates, Lebanese authorities moved Sunday to project unity and assert state control, amid fears that the conflict could spill over into Lebanon if Hezbollah chooses to intervene.

The Higher Defense Council convened at the presidential palace in Baabda under President Joseph Aoun to assess the regional war and its potential repercussions for Lebanon. Beirut has been working to avoid being drawn into the confrontation.

Chaired by the president, the council includes the prime minister as vice president, along with the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, finance, interior and economy.

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According to a statement from the presidency, Aoun opened the meeting by referring to "the assassination of Supreme Guide of the Iranian Revolution Ali Khamenei in an Israeli strike," highlighting his stature domestically and internationally. While Khamenei is regarded by many Shiites in Lebanon — particularly within Hezbollah’s base — as a leading religious and political authority, Aoun did not explicitly mention that link.

He then extended condolences to all "countries affected by these painful events" and condemned "the targeting of Arab citizens and their civilian infrastructure" by Iranian missiles during the ongoing war.

Stil, Aoun’s central message was a reaffirmation of state authority. "The decision of war and peace belongs exclusively to the Lebanese state," he said, citing the Constitution, his inaugural address and the government’s ministerial statement.

The statement added that said Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed "the importance of placing the interests of the Lebanese above all other considerations, maintaining control over the security situation and on the ground in the South and East, and preventing any slip-ups."

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In this context, since the new authorities took control, they have sought to reassert the state’s monopoly on arms and extend the state's authority across the entire territory.

A minister who attended the meeting described it to L’Orient-Le Jour as a "coordination session" aimed at managing developments on the ground. "Everyone understands the gravity of the situation, and no one will dare drag the country into war," the minister said.

An MTV journalist asked Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar whether Hezbollah had given its "approval" for Lebanon to remain outside the conflict, to which he responded before the session: "We do not need anyone’s approval. As the president said, contacts have been made with all concerned parties. Lebanon’s interests come before everything else for all Lebanese."

Price increases

The council also addressed public fear over potential shortages in fuel and food after panic buying swept parts of the country Saturday as hostilities intensified.

According to the presidency’s statement, Salam "insisted on the need to control prices and quantities of goods, foodstuffs and fuel," referring to measures adopted during an emergency meeting he chaired the previous day at the Grand Serail.

"The ministries are continuing, in coordination with the relevant international organizations, to secure urgent and appropriate needs," the statement said.