Hezbollah Steps Up War Against Lebanese Christians

Much overlooked in Hezbollah’s current war against Israel is Hezbollah’s war against the Christians of Lebanon. In 1932, the population of Lebanon was 53 percent Christian, while today that number is estimated at 34 percent. (RELATED: The New Israel–Hezbollah War)

There have been numerous instances this past March alone that show the extent to which Hezbollah is infiltrating the Christian parts of Lebanon. Just days ago, Hezbollah took control of the Christian village of Qawzah in southern Lebanon. Using its Christian population as human shields, the terror group used the village as a base to launch rockets, missiles, and anti-tank fire at Israel. The IDF has maintained that Hezbollah has done this with other Christian villages in Lebanon as well.

In fact, days before the incident at Qawzah, the IDF uncovered a Hezbollah tunnel underneath a church in the southern Lebanese town of Khiam. Hezbollah also took over a church and retrofitted it as a terrorist base. In another incident in March, Hezbollah terrorists entered another Christian village in southern Lebanon, prompting the IDF to fire on and eliminate the terrorist cell. The IDF also eliminated a Hezbollah terrorist in a car via drone strike in the Christian-majority city of Zahle. 

Additionally, in March, Hezbollah media spread rumors that the IDF was stationed inside Saint George’s Church in the Christian village of Debel, possibly as a pretext to shell the church (which Hezbollah reportedly did). In response, the village’s leaders posted a video to social media on the steps of that church denying the presence of any Jews or Israeli army in the church, and that therefore a Hezbollah attack on them is not justified. Residents of Debel have reportedly reached out to Hezbollah media to deny the accusation of IDF presence. 

The above are only the most recent examples of Hezbollah’s infiltration into Christian communities. In December 2024, the IDF killed Hezbollah terrorists operating near a church in southern Lebanon. In November 2024, the Christian community was successful in killing one Hezbollah terrorist and expelling the rest after the group tried to set up shop in the Christian village of Qlayya. In October 2024, Hezbollah moved some of its military infrastructure near Christian villages and churches east of Beirut. In September 2024, reports surfaced that Hezbollah was storing rockets in churches in southern Lebanon. In July 2024, Hezbollah draped an Islamist banner over the Christian St. George hospital.

Shortly after Hezbollah waged war (again) on Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, Hezbollah hid in the Christian village of Rmeish and stored rockets there, despite Christian villagers and their priest making brave efforts opposing Hezbollah’s encroachment. Hezbollah had placed a missile launcher on the roof of the Baptist church in Marjiyoun, southern Lebanon, back in 2006. (Similarly, Hezbollah has fired rockets into Israel from mosques in the past.)

Treating churches as fair game for military operations is not alien to Hezbollah and its adjacent organizations. Earlier this month, fellow Iranian proxy Kataib Hezbollah struck a Chaldean Catholic church in Ankawa, Iraq via drone. In December 2023, Hezbollah struck a Catholic church in Iqrit, northern Israel, via missile. 

Hezbollah has vocalized disdain for Christians. Hashem Safieddine, briefly Hezbollah’s chief in 2024 before Israel eliminated him, stated that demography will eventually prohibit Christians from securing the presidency of Lebanon, a post given to the Christian population in Lebanon’s constitution.

And Hezbollah has likely killed several Christian political leaders in Lebanon. While Christian Lebanese Forces member Pascal Suleiman’s abduction and killing in April 2024 was attributed to Syrian gang members, many suspect that Hezbollah was at least somewhat involved. Suleiman’s last words were allegedly “I have children, don’t kill me.” Suspicions of Hezbollah involvement in Suleiman’s demise were especially warranted when, in response to the murder, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah quizzically accused the Lebanese Christian parties of being “sowers of discord” and trying to instigate a civil war. 

Additionally, Hezbollah’s Unit 121, the same unit responsible for the assassination of Lebanon’s former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, abducted and murdered Christian Lebanese forces member Elias al-Hasrouni in August 2023, according to the IDF. Both Suleiman’s and al-Hasrouni’s abductions and murders follow a similar modus operandi to that of Lokman Slim’s fate, a prominent Shiite critic of Hezbollah who was abducted and assassinated in February 2021. Mere minutes after Slim’s death was confirmed, Hassan Nasrallah’s son Jawad Nasrallah tweeted: “The loss of some people is in fact an unplanned gain #notsorry.” Jawad subsequently deleted his tweet and claimed he was not referencing Slim. 

While Hezbollah has targeted Christian villages, churches, and politicians, there still remain beacons of hope as several Christian Lebanese leaders are outspoken critics of Hezbollah. Dr. Richard Kouyoumjian, the head of foreign relations for the Christian Lebanese Forces, recently chastised both the government and Hezbollah for not enforcing an August 2025 decision to disarm the terrorist group. Charles Jarbour of the Christian Lebanese Forces stated that Israel is targeting Hezbollah, not Lebanon, and that UNIFIL forces were “co-conspirators” with Hezbollah, commenting that they must have known Hezbollah was building military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

Christian Lebanese Forces official Ibrahim El Sakr has called on the Lebanese government to “grab the Iranian ambassador by the ear,” and interrogate him, and offer Israel a “land for peace” deal similar to Egypt’s Anwar Sadat. Lebanese Syriac Party leader Ibraham Mrad stated that Christians in Lebanon have a right to self-determination, and argued that Lebanon should be partitioned into Christian, Sunni, Shiite, and Druze states. Mrad had also stated that peace with Israel will bring Lebanon peace, a good economy, and a normal life. 

While Hezbollah continues its war against Christians, hopefully, brave Christian leaders can join with Israel to further weaken Hezbollah in Lebanon and forge a durable Lebanon-Israel peace.

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