US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Hezbollah in a statement Sunday of trying to plunge Lebanon “back into chaos” by continuing to fight against Israel and by calling to overthrow the Lebanese government.
Rubio denounced what he called Hezbollah’s “reckless call to overthrow Lebanon’s democratically elected government” and said the Iran-backed terror group was “actively trying to drag Lebanon back into chaos and destruction.”
“Hizballah has ignored repeated calls from the legitimate Government of Lebanon to cease its attacks and respect a ceasefire,” Rubio’s statement said, using an alternate spelling of the terror group’s name. “Instead, it has continued firing on Israeli positions and moving fighters and weapons into southern Lebanon. This is a deliberate campaign to destabilize the country and maintain its power at the expense of the future of the Lebanese people.”
Naim Qassem, the leader of Hezbollah, had said earlier that “the people have the right to go down onto the streets and to bring down the government” in response to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets and US sanctions on the Al-Qard Al-Hassan financial institution.
Al-Qard Al-Hassan is affiliated with the terror group. It provides interest-free loans to mainly Shia Muslim communities that have faced financial difficulty amid Lebanon’s economic crises.
“The aggression against Al-Qard al-Hassan is an aggression against hundreds of thousands of poor people and those with limited income,” Qassem said.
The Lebanese government has been under US pressure to take action against the firm, as Washington ratchets up pressure on Hezbollah.
Screenshot of Hezbollah secretary Naim Qassem delivering a televised address on Lebanese TV, aired December 28, 2025. (X)
The statement comes amid continued combat between Israel and Hezbollah, even though a ceasefire has been in place for more than a month. The terror group began attacking Israel shortly after the beginning of the US-Israeli war with Iran, drawing a heavy Israeli response.
Three rounds of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon have since taken place, backed by the US, in order to resolve the conflict and potentially lead to an accord between the two neighbors.
“The Government of Lebanon is working to deliver recovery, reconstruction, international assistance, and a stable future for its citizens with the full support of the United States,” Rubio’s statement said. Hizballah, by contrast, is actively trying to drag Lebanon back into chaos and destruction.”
He added, “The United States stands firmly with the legitimate Government of Lebanon as it works to restore its authority and build a better future for all its people. Hizballah’s threats of violence and overthrow will not be allowed to succeed. The era in which a terrorist group held an entire nation hostage is coming to an end.”
Men ride a scooter while waving a Hezbollah flag during a small gathering in Dahiyeh, Beirut’s southern suburbs, Lebanon, April 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
The emerging US-Iran deal to end the Iran war, to which Israel is not a party, is also expected to have a clause ending the fighting in Lebanon.
Qassem expressed hope for an agreement between Iran and the US, and that Lebanon would be part of its terms.
However, he again called on the Lebanese government to abandon its direct negotiations with Israel. A fourth round of talks is scheduled for June 2 and 3 in Washington.
Early on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X that US President Donald Trump, in a phone call, “reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon.”
