Hezbollah faces backlash in Lebanon as Israel expands invasion
Much of the anger at Hezbollah springs from how quickly the group appears to have been decimated confronting Israel
As Israel’s invasion of Lebanon intensifies and brings more destruction on the Mediterranean nation, anger among the Lebanese with Israel is, not surprisingly, at an all-time high.
But displeasure with its foe, Hezbollah, is also growing.
With 1,400 Lebanese dead and more than 1 million displaced nationwide – a fifth of the country’s population – Hezbollah critics and supporters alike are voicing frustration over what many view as the group’s miscalculations.
“This is a war between Iran and Israel on Lebanese territory,” said Sami Gemayel, an MP with the Kataeb party, a long-time rival of Hezbollah.
“Unfortunately, today, we’re all stuck,” Gemayel said. “Hezbollah is continuing its war. It’s not willing to stop, and is taking the whole country to hell with it.”
Family members of those killed in Israeli attacks are also blaming Hezbollah – an Iran-backed militant group and one of Lebanon’s biggest political parties – for lacking adequate plans to evacuate, shelter or rescue them.
