A Hezbollah parliamentarian has said Lebanon will be included in any negotiations to end the war, as fighting with Israel intensifies and the group rejects what it describes as “surrender” proposals from within Lebanon.
Rami Abu Hamdan, an MP from Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, told The New Arab that “Lebanon will be strongly present at the table of any negotiations conducted by Iran,” signalling that the Lebanese front is now firmly tied to wider regional talks.
His comments came as Israel killed journalists, paramedics and other civilians on the ground, seeking to expand its buffer zone in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has also increased its operations, carrying out 87 attacks in a single day this week, one of its largest such offensives since the war began.
Abu Hamdan said the conflict had moved beyond a limited confrontation, arguing that “the front has become open, and the enemy is no longer looking for Hezbollah or the resistance, but for every free entity”.
Israel has ordered all residents of southern Lebanon to flee and says it will establish a “buffer zone” there amid fears of annexation and long-term displacement.
Abu Hamdan accused Israel of seeking to destroy any entity in Lebanon that resists its actions.
Hezbollah also rejected the prospect of direct negotiations under current conditions, criticising proposals backed by some Lebanese officials.
“Negotiating from a position of weakness… is a declaration of surrender, not negotiation,” Abu Hamdan said, setting out conditions for any agreement.
He said the group’s demands include an end to attacks, Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory, the release of prisoners, the return of displaced residents and reconstruction without restrictions.
On internal political coordination, Abu Hamdan said parliament speaker Nabih Berri remains the main intermediary, adding, “We are ready for discussion, but we want parity and respect. There is blood being paid that requires… dignity in return and no stabbing of the resistance in the back.”
Despite tensions with Lebanese leadership, he said Hezbollah remained committed to national unity. “We are always keen on the components of the country and shared living, and we will continue to extend our hand to everyone,” he said.
Abu Hamdan also stressed that any ceasefire must extend beyond Iran and other fronts to include Lebanon.
“Certainly Lebanon will be included in the negotiations… any cessation of the war must include Lebanon,” he said.
He added that Iran views Lebanon as an ally rather than a proxy, saying: “The Iranians do not consider Lebanon an arm, but an ally,” while adding that Hezbollah continues to operate independently on its own front.
The group, he said, is seeking to “shift the balance” through ongoing military operations, arguing that battlefield developments will shape any eventual political settlement.
He also warned of a potential expansion of fighting beyond southern Lebanon, particularly in the Bekaa Valley region in the east of the country, which is frequently targeted by Israeli strikes.
“The Bekaa is one of the areas the enemy deliberately targets,” he said, adding that attacks there are aimed at pressuring Hezbollah’s support base and creating internal unrest.
At the same time, Abu Hamdan suggested Israel’s focus on Iran has stretched its military capacity, particularly its air power, while continued clashes in southern Lebanon are imposing further strain.
“The more intense the fighting in the south becomes for the enemy, the more it commits massacres in the Bekaa,” he said.
He downplayed the likelihood of a new front involving Syria, but said Hezbollah remained prepared. There was previous speculation that the Syrian government could intervene against Hezbollah in Lebanon, but Syria has so far rejected reported US pressure regarding this.
“We do not declare war on anyone and do not want war with anyone. But if any aggression occurs, the resistance is ready to defend,” he said.
As regional tensions continue to rise, Hezbollah’s stance suggests that any diplomatic effort to end the war will have to address the Lebanese front alongside other theatres of conflict.
