Hezbollah on Tuesday rejected the Lebanese government's decision to grant the army at least four months to advance the second phase of a national disarmament plan. The Iranian-backed Shiite movement believes the initiative serves Israel's interests and refuses to comply.
In August 2025, the Lebanese cabinet tasked the army with developing and beginning to implement a plan to place all weapons held by armed groups under the exclusive control of the state. This move was primarily aimed at Hezbollah, weakened by the devastating war it fought against Israel in 2024.
In September, the government officially welcomed the plan presented by the army, without setting a specific timetable. It did, however, acknowledge that the limited capabilities of the armed forces and the continuation of Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory could complicate its implementation.
In a speech delivered Monday, Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem denounced a "grave error," asserting that emphasizing disarmament was tantamount to responding to "the objectives of Israeli aggression." Israel, for its part, demands the elimination of cross-border threats and considers Hezbollah's arsenal a direct threat to its security.
The issue of disarmament is one of the most sensitive in Lebanon, where Hezbollah wields significant military and political influence. Any attempt to challenge its arsenal raises the risk of internal tensions in a country already weakened by a deep economic crisis and persistent political divisions.
