October 30, 2026 | The National Interest
Hezbollah Expects Lebanon to Pay for Its Recovery. Here’s Why
A more effective Lebanese state would not have to rely on sectarian groups to reconstruct the country.
October 30, 2026 | The National Interest
Hezbollah Expects Lebanon to Pay for Its Recovery. Here’s Why
A more effective Lebanese state would not have to rely on sectarian groups to reconstruct the country.
Excerpt
The Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah may no longer have the resources to rebuild the communities devastated by its war with Israel. But it may not need to foot the bill to reap the political rewards. Its secretary-general, Naim Qassem, has repeatedly insisted that “rebuilding what Israel destroyed” is “the Lebanese state’s responsibility,” while promising to pressure Beirut into fulfilling that obligation.
On October 13, that calculation became clear as Hezbollah announced a new phase of its “Promise and Commitment” assistance program, offering displaced families up to $14,000 over the following year.
Later that day, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Hezbollah and Amal lawmakers to discuss government reconstruction projects, including approximately $70 million in World Bank-backed infrastructure contracts expected to be awarded by year’s end. If Beirut delivers, Hezbollah can claim its pressure secured the rebuilding, letting the group conserve dwindling resources while recovering some of the political standing it lost in the war.
Hezbollah’s decision to enter the war against Israel in October 2023, then reignite the fighting in March 2026, devastated the predominantly Shia communities that supply its voters, fighters, and broader popular support that form the backbone of its political and military support. Rebuilding their homes and livelihoods is essential to retaining their loyalty. But Hezbollah has struggled to honor the compensation it promised after the November 2024 ceasefire. The fighting battered its finances, Bashar al-Assad’s downfall disrupted its supply routes through Syria, and Iran’s own troubles have strained its ability to bankroll the group.
David Daoud is a senior fellow at FDD focused on Lebanon and Hezbollah. Ahmad Sharawi is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, focusing on Middle East affairs, specifically the Levant, Iraq, and Iranian intervention in Arab affairs, as well as US foreign policy toward the region.