Lebanese army says first phase of southern disarmament plan complete
Lebanese army says it completed phase one of a plan to deploy across southern Lebanon and restrict non-state weapons, aiming to disarm groups notably Hezbollah.
Overview
Lebanese army announced completion of the first phase, deploying across southern Lebanon south of the Litani and asserting a state monopoly on arms, excluding Israeli-occupied hilltops.
The move follows a Washington-brokered 2024 ceasefire with Israel; the army set a self-imposed end-2025 deadline to clear non-state weapons south of the Litani.
US, France, Israel, UNIFIL and Lebanon hold regular meetings monitoring the ceasefire; Israel criticizes the pace and continues strikes and occupies five strategic hilltop positions.
Hezbollah says it cooperated in the south but refuses disarmament north of the Litani until Israeli strikes stop; it retains political influence with parliamentary seats.
Army commander will brief government ahead of phase-two plans up to the Awali River near Sidon; officials warn of potential internal tensions and risk of escalation.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story around state authority and security, privileging the Lebanese military and president’s statements while treating Hezbollah as the contested "non-state" actor. Editorial choices—wording like "disarm," "occupies," and an "apparent reference to Iran"—plus limited direct Hezbollah or Israeli voices shape a state-centric narrative.
Sources (3)
FAQ
The first phase covers the area between the Israeli border and the Litani River and focuses on expanding Lebanese army deployment, asserting state control over weapons, clearing unexploded ordnance, and searching for Hezbollah tunnels, with the stated goal of preventing armed groups from rebuilding their military capabilities.
The disarmament plan implements key provisions of the Washington-brokered 2024 ceasefire, which requires Hezbollah to withdraw north of the Litani River, dismantle its military infrastructure in the evacuated zone, and for Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory; the army’s deployment and weapons restrictions south of the Litani are presented as fulfilling these terms.
Israeli officials argue that Hezbollah is trying to rearm in the south and question the effectiveness and speed of the Lebanese army’s actions, noting that Israel still conducts strikes on what it calls Hezbollah targets and maintains control of five strategic hilltop positions near the border.
Hezbollah has cooperated to an extent in areas south of the Litani but refuses full disarmament elsewhere in Lebanon, insisting it will not surrender its weapons north of the Litani while Israeli strikes and occupation of Lebanese positions continue, and it retains significant political influence through its seats in Parliament.
Further phases, which aim to extend disarmament north toward the Awali River and eventually across Lebanon, face major challenges including Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm outside the south, ongoing Israeli strikes and occupation of hilltops, delays in promised military equipment for the Lebanese army, and fears that internal political tensions or border incidents could escalate into wider conflict.
History
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