Lebanon’s embattled prime minister warned on Monday that Hizbollah had undermined its own ability to confront Israel when it used weapons against its rivals at home and deepened the divisions in the country.

Fouad Siniora told the Financial Times the Shia party, which besieged the already fragile government last week when it took over west Beirut, was implementing a premeditated plan, claiming it was hatched with the help of Syria and Iran, the party’s backers.