Lebanon Presses Ahead With Hezbollah Disarmament Plan
Army Highlights Progress Along Southern Border
Beirut — Lebanon’s army has renewed efforts to show progress in dismantling Hezbollah’s military presence along the southern border with Israel. Toward the end of last year, military officials organized guided tours for journalists and foreign diplomats to demonstrate steps taken to remove weapons and military infrastructure from the area.
These tours came as Israel increased warnings that it could widen military operations if Lebanon failed to curb Hezbollah’s armed activity near the border.
Deadline Set for First Phase Completion
The Lebanese army set the end of 2025 as its deadline to complete the first phase of a broader plan aimed at placing all weapons in the country under state authority. This initial stage focuses on clearing arms and military positions from the zone stretching between the Litani River and the Israeli border, a distance of up to 30 kilometres inside Lebanon.
Army commander Rodolphe Haykal said the tours were designed to underline the army’s commitment to the mission despite limited resources. However, he stressed that Israel’s ongoing military actions and continued presence in disputed border areas have complicated progress.
Government Briefing and Conflicting Assessments
On January 8, Haykal is expected to brief Lebanon’s government on the mission’s progress. Officials anticipate that he will announce the completion of the first phase of the disarmament plan.
Despite this, Israel has expressed strong doubts about the army’s performance. Israeli officials claim Hezbollah remains active near the border and is rebuilding its military capabilities faster than the Lebanese army can dismantle them.
In contrast, the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon has offered a different assessment. It says it has found no evidence that Hezbollah has rebuilt its military infrastructure in the area.
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