Hezbollah’s attempt to mobilize street protests over the seizure of an explosives-laden truck reportedly drew barely 10 people, highlighting what Lebanese political sources describe as a dramatic decline in the terrorist organization’s domestic influence.

Lebanese security forces intercepted the truck while it was traveling from the Bekaa region toward Beirut’s Dahieh district. Hezbollah subsequently called for an angry demonstration in the Baalbek area, demanding that authorities return the vehicle.

But parliamentary sources cited in a Lebanese report said “barely 10 people” answered the call, turning the attempted show of strength into an embarrassment for the organization.

According to those sources, Hezbollah’s public messaging increasingly reflects an acknowledgment that its ability to dictate events inside Lebanon has weakened substantially.

They said the domestic and regional balance has changed, making a repeat of May 2008 impossible. During that confrontation, Hezbollah seized parts of Beirut by force to pressure the Lebanese government.

The truck seizure has also become a test of the government’s willingness to confront Hezbollah, as Washington and other Western governments increase pressure on Beirut.

American diplomatic sources described Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s demand to confiscate the truck and prosecute those involved as an “immediate and urgent test” of the government’s readiness to enforce its laws.

Washington has also stressed that ongoing IDF operations in southern Lebanon do not relieve the Lebanese army of its responsibility to dismantle unauthorized military infrastructure.

The American message, according to the report, is that Lebanese authorities must act against Hezbollah’s independent military apparatus and end its exceptional status within the country.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)