Hezbollah Protests Beirut Deal with Israel, Clashes Erupt

Hezbollah supporters took to the streets of Beirut in protest against a maritime border agreement between Lebanon and Israel. The demonstrations, which began Friday evening and continued late into the night, saw hundreds of Hezbollah followers riding motorcycles through the capital. They gathered near the parliament and along the road to the international airport, blocking traffic and setting bins ablaze. The Lebanese army deployed reinforcements, setting up checkpoints and barricades to clear protest sites. While some Hezbollah figures invoked the specter of civil war, the protests did not escalate into widespread internal conflict. The agreement, described by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a "first step," was denounced by Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Qassem, as "null, humiliating, shameful, a renunciation of sovereignty." Qassem stated that the deal should be addressed within the framework of a regional agreement between the United States and Iran. He emphasized that linking Israel's withdrawal to the resistance's disarmament crossed "all red lines" and announced Hezbollah's continued military presence on the ground. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continued in the Nabatiyeh area, which the Israeli military justified by citing the presence of "terrorists posing a threat to Israeli soldiers." Observers on the Lebanese side maintain that Israel remains an occupying force in the south, rendering resistance a legitimate act. Beyond the immediate events and opposing statements, three key issues within the framework agreement remain unresolved. The first concerns the geography of Israel's withdrawal, which is described as "progressive and mutual" starting from unspecified "pilot zones." The second issue is the disarmament of Hezbollah, with the agreement tasking the Lebanese army with this, potentially with enhanced U.S. support.

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humiliating, shameful, a renunciation of sovereignty