Lebanon Backs Army Plan To Disarm Hezbollah, Ministers Walk Out
The Lebanese government has endorsed a plan presented by the army to begin disarming Hezbollah, the country’s most powerful armed group, in a move described by officials as unprecedented and fraught with risk.
Information Minister Paul Morcos said Friday the military would implement the proposal “in accordance with the available capabilities, which are limited in terms of logistics, material, and human resources.” He confirmed that cabinet members decided to keep the details classified, while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced that the army will submit monthly progress reports.
The decision came under significant US and regional pressure, as Hezbollah continues to reject any effort to dismantle its arsenal. Ministers from Hezbollah and its Shiite ally, the Amal party, walked out of the session once the plan was introduced, echoing an earlier protest when the cabinet first commissioned the army to draft a disarmament framework.
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“This is a very, very pivotal moment,” a senior Lebanese official told CNN before the announcement. “The aim is for the handover to be at the end of the year, or started at least by the end of the year.” The government has previously said all nonstate weapons should be under state control by year’s end.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has long been Lebanon’s dominant nonstate military force and remains deeply entrenched in the country’s Shiite community. Its political wing holds seats in parliament, while its social services arm provides aid to its constituents. Unlike other militias disarmed after the 1990 civil war, Hezbollah retained its weapons under the Taif Agreement, citing resistance to Israel.
Israel dealt Hezbollah major blows in the past two years, culminating in the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, but the group has refused to surrender its arsenal. Morcos accused Israel of violating a US-brokered ceasefire that ended the 2023–2024 conflict, saying its continued strikes “seriously threaten regional security and stability.”
Analysts warn that any direct attempt to disarm Hezbollah forcibly could trigger a new round of civil conflict, underscoring the gravity of the government’s decision.
