Beirut: Lebanese lawmakers and political figures filed a legal complaint Wednesday with the public prosecutor's office in Beirut, accusing Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem of making statements threatening war and civil strike in the country.

According to Anadolu Agency, the complaint was lodged by lawmakers Ashraf Rifi, Elias Khoury, George Okais, and Camille Chamoun, along with former parliamentarian Eddy Abillammaa and Change Movement Party leader Elie Mahfoud. On August 15, Qassem declared that Hezbollah would not surrender its weapons 'as long as Israeli occupation exists,' pledging to 'fight a Karbala-style battle if necessary against the Israeli-American project, whatever the cost.' Additionally, he blamed the Lebanese government for any internal unrest, accusing it of neglecting its duty to defend the country.

'Iran's role in the region is over,' Rifi told reporters outside Beirut's Justice Palace after filing the complaint. 'We confronted Qassem's irresponsible and unpatriotic statements through a constitutional path to affirm that the state unites us, while the mini-state divides us.' Okais also highlighted the gravity of Qassem's remarks, which he described as containing 'serious threats of war and sedition,' expressing confidence that lawmakers trust the judiciary to safeguard freedoms and civil peace.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah regarding the complaint. Previously, on August 5, Lebanon's Cabinet had approved a plan to place all weapons, including Hezbollah's, under state control, assigning the army to draft an implementation strategy by the end of the month and execute it by the end of 2025. Hezbollah condemned the government's action as a 'grave sin.'

The backdrop of these tensions includes a military offensive launched by Israel in Lebanon on October 8, 2023, which escalated into a full-scale war by September 2024, resulting in more than 4,000 deaths and approximately 17,000 injuries. Although a ceasefire was reached in November, Israeli forces have maintained near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, citing Hezbollah activities as their target. Under the truce, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 26, but the deadline was extended to February 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply, with Israel still maintaining a military presence at five border outposts.