Lebanon refuses to be drawn into Iran conflict: PM

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said today (28 February) that his country refused to be dragged into war, after Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran.

Authorities fear the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah could become involved in the conflict, which saw the US and Israel bomb Iran on Saturday and Tehran respond with missile attacks.

Just before the operation began, Israel announced it was carrying out strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

"I reiterate that we will not accept anyone dragging the country into adventures that threaten its security and unity," Salam said on X.

"In light of the serious developments unfolding in the region, I once again call on all Lebanese to act with wisdom and patriotism, placing Lebanon and the Lebanese people's interests above any other consideration," he added.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said the strikes today had targeted mountainous areas where Hezbollah has a strong presence.

President Joseph Aoun stressed that "sparing Lebanon the disasters and horrors of external conflicts, and preserving its sovereignty, security and stability, are an absolute priority".

In a post on X, United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert urged "all parties in Lebanon" to "prioritise, in words and actions, the need to shield the country and its people from unfolding regional developments".

Hezbollah's leader, Naim Qassem, was expected to deliver a speech today, but it was postponed due to "recent developments".

A Hezbollah official told AFP on Wednesday that the Lebanese movement would not intervene militarily in the event of "limited" US strikes on its backer Iran, but would consider any attack against supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a "red line".

Lebanon's foreign minister said Tuesday that the government feared Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure if Hezbollah -- which still has an arsenal of ballistic missiles -- became part of a regional conflict between the US and Iran.

Hezbollah leader Qassem has previously said that his group is in a "defensive position", but it would consider itself "targeted" by any US attack on Iran.

During the 12-day war between Israel and Iran last June, which the US ultimately joined, Hezbollah did not intervene.

The group emerged weakened from over a year of war with Israel, which a November 2024 ceasefire sought to halt.

The conflict had started when Hezbollah intervened in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza in October 2023.