Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Sarit Zehavi, founder of the Alma Research and Education Center, expressed concerns that Hezbollah has the military capability and grassroots support to potentially drag Lebanon into a civil war. Following a directive from Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, urging followers to challenge the government, Zehavi noted the group's increasing rhetoric against the Lebanese state. She emphasized that Hezbollah's loyalty lies with Iran, not Lebanon, and its ultimate goal is to transform Lebanon into an Islamic state aligned with Iranian interests. Polling data indicates that a significant portion of Lebanon's Shia population, which constitutes about 32% of the country, supports Hezbollah's armed presence. Zehavi criticized the Lebanese government's failure to disarm Hezbollah and warned that any ceasefire agreement could exacerbate the situation, leading to further violence and instability in the region. She highlighted the need for coordinated military action against Hezbollah to prevent potential civil unrest.