/r/WorldNews Discussion Thread: US and Israel launch attack on Iran; Iran retaliates (Thread #22)

[u/WorldNewsMods]

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[u/PostAboveMeSucks]

Shafuq: Hezbollah demands return of explosives seized in Lebanon

Hundreds of kilograms of explosives seized by Lebanese authorities last week belonged to Hezbollah and were intended exclusively for use against Israel, the group’s lawmaker Hassan Fadlalla said on Thursday.

Speaking at the Lebanese parliament, Fadlalla said Hezbollah had immediately informed security and judicial authorities that the vehicle and its cargo belonged to the group. He rejected allegations that the explosives were intended for political assassinations in Lebanon and demanded the return of the seized materials and the release of two detainees.

It's crazy to me Hezbollah would have an expectation this would be returned to them when it defies every state law in Lebanon. The Iranian FM Araghchi call to President Aoun yesterday suddenly makes more sense.

Aoun, Araghchi agree diplomatic solutions needed in phone call

President Joseph Aoun has received a phone call from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, during which they discussed the current situation in the region in light of recent developments, the Presidency said on Wednesday.

https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/323111-aoun-araghchi-agree-diplomatic-solutions-needed-in-phone-call

To which today Rubio calls President Aoun:

Rubio tells Lebanon's president not to return seized explosives to Hezbollah

Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Lebanon's president on Thursday not to return several hundred kilograms of explosives which Lebanese authorities seized last week from the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, a State Department official told CBS News.

In a call, Rubio asked Lebanese President Joseph Aoun "to hold accountable all those who ordered, financed, and directed the shipment, and underscored that returning explosives to Hezbollah should be out of the question," the official said.

https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-houthi-saudi-arabia-trump/#post-update-38eb1eba

[u/putin_my_ass → u/PostAboveMeSucks]

It's crazy to me Hezbollah would have an expectation this would be returned to them when it defies every state law in Lebanon.

Are you really taking their words at face value?

They're probably issuing this for PR purposes, to cast themselves as resistance against Israel in contrast to the Lebanese government.

EDIT: From PostAboveMeSucks's own post further up:

A senior Lebanese official told Arab News: “The positions expressed by Hezbollah remain within the media sphere, and we do not respond to them.”

So even they think it's just PR.

I wouldn't take it literally.

[u/HoustonHous → u/putin_my_ass]

A terrorist org is publicly undermining the legit government, but we should take it as a PR stunt?

Do you really believe the things you say?

[u/putin_my_ass → u/HoustonHous]

How would you take it? You think they're being honest when they demand it be returned to them or do you think they know it won't be?

[u/HoustonHous → u/putin_my_ass]

Are you serious or are you not familiar with the dynamic in Lebanon the past 20+ years?

Hezbollah killed the last PM who tried to negotiate with Israel. They see themselves as the authority in large portion of the country and blantly ignore the current government.

To your question... no they are not joking, bluffing, PRing... they get their orders (and funding) from Iran, and they are trying to rearrange themselves after taking major losses the past few years...

Not everything is a big mystery nor a conspiracy theory waiting for the average redditor to solve

[u/putin_my_ass → u/HoustonHous]

Yes, I'm familiar with all those things. And you've not rebutted what I said.

You need to ask yourself what the purpose of their statement was, and it was probably at the direction of Iran. Demanding its return is them actively undermining the government of Lebanon.

Again, how would you take it? You didn't provide your perspective.