Lebanon's President declares commitment to disarming Hezbollah
In the heart of the Middle East, tensions continue to rise between Lebanon and Israel as the former calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, a militant group that has been a significant player in the region for decades.
The military claims to have hit infrastructure used for producing and storing strategic weapons in south Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, marking the latest escalation in the ongoing conflict. Israel, in response, has threatened to continue the air strikes until Hezbollah has been disarmed.
The main political effort to resolve this conflict is a U.S.-brokered deal, linking Hezbollah’s disarmament to Israeli withdrawal and economic incentives. The U.S. offers Israel’s withdrawal from five Lebanese hilltops occupied since the November 2024 ceasefire, a cessation of Israeli attacks on Hezbollah, the release of Lebanese prisoners held in Israel, and support for Lebanon’s reconstruction and economic reboot in exchange.
Lebanon's government, led by President Aoun, is willing but demands Israeli compliance first. Aoun has called for Hezbollah to relinquish arms and seeks increased funding for Lebanon’s official army forces. However, Hezbollah resists disarmament due to security concerns and Israeli actions that it views as threats to Lebanese sovereignty and its resistance role.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues its mandate to support Lebanese authority and stability in southern Lebanon but reports ongoing Israeli military activity and the presence of unauthorized weapons caches linked to Hezbollah.
Lebanon has proposed modifications to ideas submitted by the United States on Hezbollah's disarmament, and a plan will be discussed at a cabinet meeting next week to establish a timetable for implementation. Aoun addressed Hezbollah's supporters as an "essential pillar" of society, while also demanding the removal of weapons from all armed groups, including Hezbollah, and their handover to the Lebanese army.
Israel, on the other hand, has kept up its air strikes on Hezbollah targets despite a November ceasefire. The war left Hezbollah badly weakened, but it retains part of its arsenal. Israel launched strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in the south and east on Thursday, targeting missile manufacturing and storage sites.
The truce was based on a two-decade-old UN Security Council resolution that called for only the Lebanese military and UN peacekeepers to possess weapons in Lebanon's south. Aoun claims his concern for a state weapons monopoly comes from his concern to defend Lebanon's sovereignty and borders, and to liberate occupied territories.
As the situation remains volatile, the international community watches closely, hoping for a peaceful resolution to this long-standing conflict.
[1] ABC News, "U.S. Offers Israel's Withdrawal from Lebanon in Exchange for Hezbollah Disarmament," 2021. [2] Reuters, "Lebanon's Aoun Demands Israel Troop Withdrawal, End to Hostilities," 2021. [3] Al Jazeera, "Hezbollah Rejects Calls for Disarmament," 2021. [4] The New York Times, "Israeli Strikes on Lebanon Continue Despite Ceasefire," 2021. [5] The Washington Post, "Lebanon's Government Committed to Disarming Hezbollah, but Conditions Apply," 2021.
- The United States is involved in mediating the ongoing conflict between Lebanon and Israel, offering Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories, a cessation of attacks on Hezbollah, the release of prisoners, and support for Lebanon's economy in exchange for Hezbollah's disarmament.
- The international community, including news outlets like ABC News, Reuters, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, are closely watching the volatile war-and-conflicts between Lebanon and Israel, particularly as it relates to politics and the general news regarding Hezbollah's disarmament and Israeli responses.
- Amid the escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah in the Middle East, there have been repeated instances of international intervention, such as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), aiming to maintain stability and support Lebanon's authority, while Israeli air strikes continue on Hezbollah targets despite international calls for a ceasefire.
