Rubio accuses Hezbollah of trying to 'drag Lebanon back into chaos'

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Hezbollah of attempting to destabilize Lebanon after calls for protests against the government.
• Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem defended Al-Qard Al-Hassan and condemned US sanctions and ongoing ‘Israeli’ strikes on Lebanon.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Hezbollah of trying to destabilize Lebanon after the group’s leader, Naim Qassem, called for mass protests against the Lebanese government.

Rubio condemned what he described as Hezbollah’s “reckless call to overthrow Lebanon’s democratically elected government,” saying the Iran-backed group was “actively trying to drag Lebanon back into chaos and destruction.”

“Hizballah’s threats of violence and overthrow will not be allowed to succeed,” Rubio said. “The era in which a terrorist group held an entire nation hostage is coming to an end.”

Qassem’s remarks came after renewed ‘Israeli’ strikes and US sanctions targeting Al-Qard Al-Hassan, a Hezbollah-affiliated financial institution that provides interest-free loans primarily to Lebanon’s Shia communities during the country’s economic crisis.

“The aggression against Al-Qard Al-Hassan is an aggression against hundreds of thousands of poor people and those with limited income,” Qassem said.

He added that “the people have the right to go down onto the streets and to bring down the government” in response to pressure on the institution and continued attacks on Lebanon.

The Lebanese government has faced increasing US pressure to act against the organization as Washington intensifies sanctions on Hezbollah and its financial networks.

The political escalation comes as Washington and Tehran continue negotiations aimed at ending the regional war.

According to reports, a draft memorandum of understanding under discussion includes language indicating that the conflict between ‘Israel’ and Hezbollah in Lebanon could come to an end as part of a broader agreement.

Earlier on Sunday, 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X that US President Donald Trump reaffirmed during a phone call “Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon.”

Qassem said he hopes an agreement between Iran and the US will be reached and that Lebanon will be included in its framework.

Despite a ceasefire that took effect on April 17 and was later extended, cross-border hostilities have continued.

‘Israel’ says it is targeting Hezbollah-linked sites in Lebanon, while Hezbollah has continued attacks on ‘Israeli’ positions in the south.