US Secretary of State Accuses Hezbollah of Trying to 'Drag Lebanon Back into Chaos'

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. (Wikimedia Commons Official State Department/Freddie Everett)

JAKARTA - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday accused the militant group Hezbollah of trying to plunge Lebanon "back into chaos."

Rubio slammed what he called "Hezbollah's reckless call to overthrow the democratically elected Lebanese government" and said the pro-Iranian militia was "actively seeking to drag Lebanon back into chaos and destruction."

The Lebanese government is under US pressure to take action against the company, as Washington increases pressure on Iran-backed Hezbollah.

"Threats of violence and the overthrow of Hezbollah will not be allowed to succeed," said Foreign Minister Rubio, launching Al Arabiya from AFP (25/5).

"The era in which terrorist groups hold hostage entire nations will soon end," he said.

Previously, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said "the people have the right to take to the streets and overthrow the government" in response to Israeli attacks and US sanctions on the al-Qard al-Hassan financial institution.

Al-Qard al-Hassan is affiliated with Hezbollah and provides interest-free loans mainly to the Shiite Muslim community that faces financial difficulties amid the Lebanese economic crisis.

"The aggression against al-Qard al-Hassan is an aggression against hundreds of thousands of poor people and those with limited incomes," Qassem said.

The US is negotiating with Iran to end the war in the Middle East, with a report in Axios showing a draft memorandum of understanding between the two parties containing language that "explains that the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon will end."

On Sunday morning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X, President Trump, in a phone call, "reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon."

Qassem expressed hope for an agreement between Iran and the US, with Lebanon being part of the terms of the deal.

However, he again called on the Lebanese government to abandon direct negotiations with Israel. Originally, the fourth round of talks was scheduled for June 2 and 3 in Washington, USA

Although the ceasefire came into effect on April 17 and was recently extended for several weeks, Israel continues to attack what they call pro-Iranian Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Hezbollah itself continues to carry out attacks on Israeli targets in the south of the country.