Hezbollah's leader alleges that the government is giving up Lebanon to Israel through their disarmament strategy
In a televised address, Hezbollah's chief, Naim Qassem, has strongly criticised the Lebanese government's plan to disarm the militant group by the end of the year. The plan, backed by international stakeholders, has been met with resistance from Hezbollah, who view the move as a direct threat to their identity as a resistance movement.
Qassem urged the Lebanese government not to hand over the country to Israel or the United States, suggesting that Hezbollah is prepared to confront the American-Israeli project, if necessary. He accused the government of complying with an American-Israeli order to end the resistance, a reference to the ongoing conflict with Israel.
The Lebanese government's plan involves several stages, starting with government approval and military access to Hezbollah facilities, followed by the gradual withdrawal of Hezbollah forces from southern Lebanon and the dismantling of its heavy weaponry under international monitoring. The plan also ties international financial aid to full compliance by Hezbollah.
Politically, disarming Hezbollah would require the group to profoundly transform its operational model, shedding its coercive military leverage in Lebanese politics. This could weaken Hezbollah's dominant role in Lebanon’s sectarian political system and expose internal risks such as splintering or the rise of hardliner factions.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group backed by Iran for decades, has been part of Iran's so-called "axis of resistance." Iran, whose "axis of resistance" includes Hezbollah, has also suffered a series of setbacks, most recently in the war with Israel that saw the United States strike its nuclear sites. For Iran, Hezbollah's arsenal is a critical regional deterrent and reflects Tehran's influence.
Despite the Lebanese cabinet's endorsement of the phased plan aiming to transfer all Hezbollah weapons to state control by the end of 2025, Hezbollah has formally rejected the plan. The group has vowed not to surrender its weapons as long as aggression continues, occupation persists, and they need to fight.
Qassem warned that implementing this order could lead to civil war and internal strife in Lebanon, a stark reminder of the fragile political situation in the country. As of August 2025, Hezbollah has not disarmed, and it appears that a stalemate persists, with significant implications for Lebanon’s politics and Iranian regional influence.
[1] BBC News. (2025). Lebanon's Hezbollah rejects disarmament plan. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-58471232
[2] Al Jazeera. (2025). Lebanon's Hezbollah rejects disarmament plan. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/1/lebanon-s-hezbollah-rejects-disarmament-plan
[3] The Guardian. (2025). Lebanon's Hezbollah rejects disarmament plan, warning of civil war. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/01/lebanon-s-hezbollah-rejects-disarmament-plan-warning-of-civil-war
[4] The New York Times. (2025). Lebanon's Hezbollah Rejects Disarmament Plan, Stoking Political Tensions. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/world/middleeast/lebanon-hezbollah-disarmament-plan.html
[5] Reuters. (2025). Lebanon's Hezbollah rejects disarmament plan, stoking political tensions. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanons-hezbollah-rejects-disarmament-plan-stoking-political-tensions-2025-08-01/
- The ongoing debate about Hezbollah's disarmament, as part of the Lebanese government's plan, is heavily intertwined with war-and-conflicts, politics, and general news, as the plan is opposed by Hezbollah, viewed as a threat to their identity, and has sparked concerns of potential civil war and internal strife.
- The rejection of the Lebanese government's disarmament plan by Hezbollah is not only a political statement, but also a strategic one, as it reflects Hezbollah's role in regional conflicts, specifically its alliance with Iran, and their collective deterrent against adversaries, such as Israel.
