BEIRUT — There is a hadith that say, “Sedition is dormant, may God curse those who awaken it.” However, Saudi media has recently missed no opportunity to incite public feelings against the Shiites, reflecting the official Saudi position which aligns with American-Zionist pressure to disarm the Resistance, the common name for Hezbollah.

For example, within a week, Al Arabyia conducted four provocative interviews with President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, and Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi . These interviews are read as systematic and intended to issue provocative positions against Hezbollah and the Shiites in particular.

In a regrettable position, al-Rahi has also claimed that there is a “decisive Lebanese consensus on implementing the decision to disarm Hezbollah.” 

In response, Jaafari Mufti Sheikh Ahmed Qabalan has said, “There is no force on earth that can disarm Hezbollah.”

In an interview with the Saudi Al-Arabiya channel, al-Rahi also accused the Resistance of submitting to “blatant” Iranian dictates, saying, “Declare your ultimate loyalty to Lebanon.”

Al-Rahi also claimed: “The Shiite sect is tired of war and wants to live in peace,” adding, “There is no objection to peace with Israel in the future when the circumstances are appropriate.”

In response, Jaafari Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan said, “The Shiites of Lebanon defeated the most formidable Israeli-NATO army on the border, despite the highly advanced arsenal and the absolute support of all of Israel’s allies... so that Lebanon remains a free and sovereign country for its people, Muslims and Christians.”

He added, “As a reminder, Iran is the one that crushed the Middle East project and shattered the hopes of Washington and Tel Aviv, which thrive on terrorism, occupation, and destruction. Iran is the one that deprived Washington and Tel Aviv of the dream of Greater Israel.”
According to a recent study conducted by Al-Akhbar newspaper, 230+ articles about Hezbollah were monitored in five major Saudi newspapers (between April 9 and August 11, 2025).

Saudi columnists repeatedly emphasized the “necessity” the Lebanese state to take “decisive action”, adopt “radical approach,” and “disarm,” the Resistance, saying that Lebanon is a powerless state and a “hostage” to Hezbollah.
According to Al-Akhbar’s study, this Saudi incitement indicates that Riyadh is sensing a golden opportunity to corner Hezbollah, and even accusing all Lebanese of complicity if they fail to act.

Among the points identified by the study are:
- Depicting Hezbollah’s weapons as illegitimate and threatening the state’s existence;
- Holding the Lebanese army responsible for disarming them;
- Threatening that economic aid will not be granted to Lebanon unless the Resistance disarms and severing ties with Iran;
- Threatening that failure to obey, Saudi orders will expel Lebanon once again from the “Arab fold.”

The study concluded that Riyadh is determined to push the Lebanese army into a confrontation with the Resistance, pointing to the recent leaked statement by Saudi envoy Yazid bin Farhan, when discussing that his pressure on Lebanon could push Lebanon into civil war. He responded: “Let it be [civil war]!”
With the deadline for the army to submit its plan to take possession of Hezbollah’s arms, as well as the renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate, the visit of the American envoys, Thomas Barrack and Morgan Ortagus, to Beirut will be followed by other exploratory visits by senators from Congress to push Lebanon toward more escalatory options.  

During his meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, the senior parliamentarian told Barrack: “You previously stressed the need for Lebanon to take action, but you offered us nothing. You neither succeeded in stopping the aggression, nor were you able to impose the two-week truce you proposed. Now, you say you have no mandate to pressure Israel. In other words, you are informing us in advance that everything we have done or will do will be useless. This will lead to the failure of your mission.”

For his part, in a political-security briefing to the American envoys, President Joseph Aoun elaborated on the need to extend UNIFIL’s mandate without changing its numbers and mandate, given that the Lebanese Army has not yet completed its deployment in the south and needs its support and presence.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s mission to the United Nations received support from 14 countries for the initial extension of UNIFIL, without specifying the mechanisms or duration.  

Both Washington and Tel Aviv oppose the extension of the UNIFIL mandate, which has been deployed on the border between Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories since 1978.

The UN Security Council is expected to witness a diplomatic confrontation between parties supporting the extension and those pushing for a reduction or termination of the mandate.

A draft resolution submitted by France extends UNIFIL’s mandate until August 31, 2026. After that, the Lebanese government would become “the sole guarantor of security in southern Lebanon.”

While the draft resolution is set to be voted on August 25, Israeli media reported that Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has sent an official letter to his U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio, requesting that UNIFIL cease its operations in southern Lebanon. He alleges that UNIFIL has failed in its primary mission to prevent Hezbollah's entrenchment south of the Litani River.