Commenting on the reports from Israeli media about a shift in the rules of engagement following yesterday's attack on southern Haifa, Kataeb Lawmaker Selim Sayegh said on Al Mashhad channel: "We don't know what will happen, as the Israelis never announce their next steps. However, the deeply sorrowful and inexplicable reality is that all of Lebanon is being turned into a target, despite the fact that the battle is between Israel and Hezbollah, and the overwhelming majority of the Lebanese people do not want this war."

He pointed out that there is no political horizon for this situation because entire neighborhoods and villages in southern Lebanon could be destroyed, just as areas in Haifa, Kiryat Shmona, and elsewhere could be, but such devastation yields no political outcome.

"Ultimately, what is needed is a settlement, and Israel has proven that it possesses the most efficient and capable military force, one that can impose its will on southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs by forcing people to leave their homes—thus achieving its goal. If Israel’s intent is to force the southerners and Hezbollah's supporters to evacuate, then from this perspective, it is succeeding. But what comes after that?" he stated.

The Kataeb Lawmaker emphasized that the use of violence, weapons, and force has diminishing political returns; the more bombardment and destruction, the fewer the gains.

He stressed that "we are at a pivotal political moment that must be seized, and Hezbollah, along with Iran, must allow the Lebanese people to breathe and must declare, through actions and not just words, their commitment to the full and immediate implementation of UNSC Resolution 1701. This would remove Israel's pretext for continued aggression."

He highlighted that handing over authority to the United Nations is not surrender but rather a way to save the Lebanese sovereignty and the Lebanese people.

Regarding political efforts to exert pressure in this direction, especially French President Emmanuel Macron’s talks with House Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Sayegh said: "There is significant international pressure on Berri and Mikati to possibly engage Hezbollah in talks about a ceasefire. They hold political agency for Hezbollah in Lebanon’s political process, particularly regarding the presidential elections, but they lack the authority to negotiate a ceasefire in southern Lebanon."

He added that the pressure on Berri and Mikati should lead them to speak with Hezbollah to unequivocally and without delay or ambiguity accept UNSC Resolution 1701.

He continued, "I believe Iran's direct involvement in Lebanon, as seen with the Iranian Foreign Minister's recent visit, and the information coming from Tehran suggest that Iran has taken complete control of Hezbollah’s military and security apparatus."

"Reports also indicate that Iranian officers and fighters are now on the ground in Lebanon. All of this shows that the current pressures being applied will have no effect. This is a missed opportunity, and Iran must understand that if Lebanon is not spared from this conflict, it will lose Lebanon—and then Tehran will lose as well," he noted.

Sayegh clarified that Iran’s influence in Lebanon is not purely military; it has significant cultural and political weight, and this could be preserved by acknowledging Lebanon’s neutrality under UN oversight.

"Otherwise, Lebanon risks becoming a devastated battleground like Gaza, with no tangible result other than delaying the direct confrontation between Israel and Iran," the Kataeb Lawmaker indicated.

He pointed out that the conflict on Lebanon's southern front is taking on a new form, with the use of different tactics, leading us to conclude that Iran is now defending Tehran directly by attacking Haifa and Kiryat Shmona.

"The conflict is no longer confined to the Lebanese front between Hezbollah and Israel, but has extended to a broader confrontation between Iran and the Zionist State," he asserted.

"The visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was decisive. He reportedly asked Berri not to abandon the Hezbollah’s candidate, to reject any separation between the Lebanese and Gaza fronts, and to refuse a ceasefire in southern Lebanon. These three requests contradict earlier statements by House Speaker Nabih Berri, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Former Leader of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt. Mikati had expressed support for UNSC Resolution 1701, but Hezbollah opposes it because it includes a ceasefire, and for Hezbollah, there will be no ceasefire in Lebanon as long as there isn’t one in Gaza. As a result, we are trapped in a vicious circle that can only be broken by a clear Iranian decision on the matter, despite the goodwill of many Lebanese who are trying to achieve a breakthrough," Sayegh explained.

When asked what Tehran is waiting for while proclaiming its desire for peace, Sayegh said: "Iran declared from New York that it wants friendship with the U.S. and called for the best relations between the two countries. But that does not mean disengaging from the conflicts in the regions where Iran is fully involved—Syria, Gaza, Yemen, Baghdad. These are all fronts where Iran is currently defending Tehran, and it cannot abandon them. The most crucial front is the one facing Israel, which gives Iran a certain Islamic legitimacy."

Sayegh said that Iran is waiting for a comprehensive settlement with the U.S., one that goes beyond just the nuclear issue and includes regional files.

"However, it seems the U.S. and its allies, particularly in Europe, are unwilling to grant Iran this concession. Especially since Iran has strongly allied itself with Russia in the Ukraine war, which is a sensitive issue for European countries, particularly France, which previously had a more flexible stance toward Iran but has now taken a tougher position. This suggests that no regional settlements are forthcoming, and discussions with Iran will likely remain focused on its security and nuclear program, which is not what Tehran wants. Hence, we can understand why this conflict is likely to drag on," he concluded.