Joseph Aoun’s Gulf Tour Reshapes Lebanon’s Political Equation
Army chief and presidential hopeful Joseph Aoun’s visits to Saudi Arabia and the UAE signal regional backing—on condition of sidelining Hezbollah and curbing Iranian influence.
Watan-Lebanon is witnessing rapid political shifts following notable moves by army chief and likely presidential candidate Joseph Aoun, who visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE within a short time frame—interpreted as part of a Gulf-backed regional arrangement for the Lebanese presidency.
These visits triggered major questions about the nature of the political and military support being offered to the Lebanese army in exchange for implementing a clear agenda: excluding Hezbollah from southern Lebanon and reducing Iran’s influence in Lebanese political decisions.
In Riyadh, Aoun sat alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. A similar scene unfolded in Abu Dhabi with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed. These meetings sent veiled but unmistakable political messages: Gulf support is ready—but conditional. At the top of those conditions is redefining Lebanon’s “power equation” away from Hezbollah’s weapons, which the Saudis and Emiratis view as a source of chaos and direct Iranian intervention.
Gulf Deals, Southern Control, and Lebanon’s Fork in the Road
Leaks suggest the UAE offered logistical and financial support to the Lebanese army in exchange for asserting control over the south and dismantling Hezbollah tunnels—a process reportedly already underway in some areas amid internal silence and international approval.
Today’s pressing question is: Can Lebanon dismantle one of its most influential components without plunging into new security tensions? And is the army transitioning from a national institution into a regional arm executing foreign directives?
From Abu Dhabi, Aoun declared: “The Lebanese people are tired of war and want peace.” But his critics interpret this as an abandonment of the resistance option in favor of “conditional diplomacy.”
This new equation leaves no room for maneuver: either a clear political alignment with the Gulf axis, or continued economic paralysis and external pressure. Many now wonder: Will Aoun become a president with a foreign mandate, or will he lead Lebanon toward reclaiming its sovereignty?
The answer lies not only in Baabda, but also in Hezbollah’s silence—and the echo resonating from Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Tehran.
