Lebanese officials say war decision in state's hand after Qassem's remarks

The decisions of war and peace in Lebanon “belong only to the state,” official Lebanese sources stressed Friday, after Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem said Hezbollah is “not neutral” in the war between Israel and Iran and would act as it sees fit.

“Lebanon is against being dragged into the war between Iran and Israel,” the sources told Al-Arabiya’s Al-Hadath channel.

Qassem’s remarks came after U.S. envoy Tom Barrack warned that Hezbollah’s involvement in the war would be a “very bad decision” and after Speaker Nabih Berri said that "Lebanon will '200%' not enter the war because it … would pay the price and because Iran does not need us."