Naim Kassem, leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group, said the government should have instead 'spread its authority and evicted Israel from Lebanon.'

Hezbollah’s Shura Council has since instructed its leadership to avoid mobilising on the streets, warning that protests could quickly spiral into uncontrollable incidents. Hezbollah denounced the government’s move as a “grave sin” that strips Lebanon “of the weapon of resistance” against Israel and vowed to disregard it.