On the eve of the 50th anniversary of Lebanon’s civil war, President Joseph Aoun delivered a bold warning against armed groups operating outside the state’s control—widely seen as a veiled message to Hezbollah. Aoun declared that “nothing protects Lebanon except its state and army,” urging unity under national institutions. He reflected on the immense human toll of the 1975–1990 war, stressing that such tragedy must never return. Is this a turning point in Lebanon’s internal standoff?