A purported statement attributed to a group of Lebanese military officers calling itself the “Patriotic Officers” warned against using the Lebanese Army to confront Hezbollah, triggering a political storm in Lebanon and prompting a military inquiry amid rising tensions.
The statement, published this week in Al-Akhbar, a Lebanese daily widely seen as close to Hezbollah, warned against assigning the army the role of confronting forces “resisting external aggression.” The text argued that such a move would endanger the army’s cohesion, drag it into internal conflict, and undermine its traditional role as a unifying national institution.
The statement comes days after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed the state's willingness to begin direct negotiations with Israel, seeking to secure an end to the conflict that erupted on March 2 when Hezbollah entered the regional war in support of its patron, Iran.
"The unity of the army is not simply an administrative or organizational matter; it is a cornerstone of the state and its stability. Any decision that places the army in confrontation with its own people, or in a position that contradicts its national mission, risks internal divisions and weakening the institution. This moment, therefore, requires the highest degree of wisdom and responsibility in handling such sensitive decisions," the statement read.
"We therefore call for a reconsideration of any measures that may affect the army’s unity and the country’s stability. The army’s true strength lies not only in its military capabilities, but also in its internal cohesion and in the trust and support it enjoys from the people," it continued.
Regional, local actors push for dismissal of Lebanese Army chief
The unusual warning comes amid calls by US, French, and Saudi officials to dismiss current Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal, who is said to oppose a direct military confrontation with Hezbollah, despite having voiced support for disarming the group via political avenues, Al-Akhbar reported.
The report said that local actors, including military officials and lawmakers, have upped the pressure to dismiss Haykal.
But the proposal reportedly met resistance from political and institutional circles, which warned that removing the army chief could destabilize the government, weaken Aoun’s presidency, and shake the military establishment itself.
Al-Akhbar said the dispute escalated to the point that possible successors to Haykal were discussed, angering officers allegedly divided into rival camps. Some, according to the report, threatened to resign if Haykal were dismissed, while others, such as the cited "Patriotic Officers," warned that any direct confrontation between the army and a major Lebanese faction could fracture the institution and undermine its national legitimacy.
Statement ignites controversy across Lebanon
The Lebanese army was quick to distance itself from the document, saying there was “absolutely no truth” to claims that army officers were behind such a statement, according to a report by Alhurra.
Army Command stressed that the text had “no connection whatsoever to the army,” adding that members of the military institution remain loyal only to the nation and the institution itself.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam went further, describing the statement as “suspicious” and lacking patriotism, and said it appeared to fall within the realm of fabrication and blackmail. Lebanon’s defense minister also reportedly said the matter was under investigation.
The affair has raised broader legal and political concerns in Lebanon, where the army remains one of the few national institutions seen as transcending sectarian divisions.
Political analyst and lawyer Amin Bashir told Alhurra that publishing a statement suggesting a split within the Lebanese Army and hinting at insubordination could amount to a legal violation. He pointed to Lebanese laws that criminalize incitement of strife and the publication of content that could threaten the unity, sovereignty, or security of the state.
The statement also fueled accusations that it was meant as a warning to Lebanon’s political leadership as the state weighs further action on Hezbollah’s arms.
Israel considers expanding ground operations in Lebanon
Though significantly weakened by Israeli offensives in recent years, Hezbollah still possesses more than 1,000 long-range missiles that could continue to pound Israel’s home front, along with potentially tens of thousands of shorter-range rockets, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
With tensions involving the terrorist group escalating, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir on Wednesday ordered major reinforcements to the North, signaling that the military may expand its ground operations in Lebanon.
Yonah Jeremy Bob and Reuters contributed to this report.