HEZBOLLAH has rejected the Lebanese government decision to ban the resistance group’s military activity and force its disarmament.

In a statement issued on Monday, Hezbollah parliamentary leader Mohammad Raad warned that constant Israeli aggression risks an outbreak of internal conflict in the country.

“We see no justification for Prime Minister [Nawaf] Salam and his government to make impulsive decisions against Lebanese citizens who reject the occupation, accusing them of violating a peace that the enemy itself has denied and refused to uphold for a year and four months,” he said.

Mr Raad went on to accuse the government of being incapable of acting in the face of Israel’s almost daily attacks since a supposed ceasefire at the end of 2014, as well as the continued presence of Israeli troops in various locations in southern Lebanon.

Following a cabinet meeting, the government said it was banning any military activity within the country’s territory not carried out by legitimate institutions.

Mr Salam also condemned a Hezbollah attack on military bases in northern Israel in response to the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and continuing Israeli bombing raids.

The prime minister insisted the decision regarding war and peace in Lebanon lay exclusively with the state.

But Mr Raad called on the authorities to avoid creating “additional internal problems” that could escalate tensions, a scenario that “everyone” must prevent. 

Israel responded to the retaliation with an intense bombing campaign against southern Lebanon, the Bekaa valley and the southern suburbs of Beirut, known as Dahye, which killed more than 150 people. 

Lebanon’s government demanded that Hezbollah surrender of all its weapons to the state and limit its activities to the political sphere within the constitution. 

Beirut also called on Israel to immediately end its aggression.