First phase of Hezbollah disarmament plan to end within days, Lebanon’s PM says
Nawaf Salam’s comments come as tensions continue to rise along Lebanon’s eastern border, where Israel accuses Hezbollah of ignoring calls for disarmament and violating the ceasefire.
The first phase of the plan to confiscate weapons from the terrorist group Hezbollah south of the Litani River will end in “a few days”, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said in a statement on Saturday.
Salam’s comments come as tensions continue to rise along Lebanon’s eastern border, where Israel accuses Hezbollah of ignoring calls for disarmament and violating a ceasefire agreed to in November 2024.
Since then, Israel has continued to strike Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, while publicly urging Lebanese authorities to honor their commitment under the truce to disarm Hezbollah, warning that it would act “if necessary” if Lebanon did not take action against the Iran-aligned proxy terrorist group.
Rubio hopes for the disarmament of Hezbollah and a “strong” Lebanese government
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that the United States hoped that talks between Lebanese authorities and Israel would result in a strong Lebanese government and the disarmament of Hezbollah.
“We hope that the talks between Lebanese and Israeli authorities will create contours and a path forward that will prevent further conflicts,” Rubio said at a news conference.
The day before, French, Saudi and American officials had held talks with the head of the Lebanese army in Paris with the aim of finalizing a road map to establish a mechanism for disarming Hezbollah.
A U.S.-backed ceasefire agreed to in November 2024 required the disarmament of Iran-aligned Lebanese Hezbollah, starting in areas south of the river, the area adjacent to Israel.
This is a developing story.
