The Hezbollah Disarmament Plan entered a new stage this week after Lebanon’s government said the army would require at least four months to implement the second phase in the country’s south. The announcement comes amid continued Israeli strikes and political tension over efforts to limit the armed group’s weapons.
Information Minister Paul Morcos said the cabinet reviewed a presentation from army leadership on the next stage of the plan. The timeline, he added, could be extended depending on military capacity, Israeli attacks, and conditions on the ground.
The plan follows the November 2024 ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. Despite the truce, Israeli strikes have continued in southern Lebanon.
What the Hezbollah Disarmament Plan Includes
Lebanon’s government committed last year to disarming Hezbollah and assigned the army to prepare and implement the plan.
According to the Lebanese military, the first phase has been completed. It covered the area between the Litani River and the Israeli border, approximately 30 kilometres to the south.
The second phase, now under review, concerns the area between the Litani and the Awali rivers, around 40 kilometres south of Beirut.
Key elements of the plan include:
Deployment of Lebanese army units in designated southern المناطق
Dismantling military positions south of the Litani
Expanding state security control in coordination with ceasefire terms
Morcos stated that the government “took note” of the army’s presentation and confirmed a minimum four month timeframe for this phase, subject to field developments.
Israeli Strikes and Ceasefire Tensions
The implementation of the Hezbollah Disarmament Plan is unfolding amid ongoing Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes on Monday killed two people in the south. The Israeli army said it targeted Hezbollah operatives.
Israel has maintained troops in five areas of southern Lebanon it considers strategic, despite the November 2024 ceasefire agreement. Israeli officials have repeatedly accused Hezbollah of rearming and have criticized the Lebanese army’s progress as insufficient.
Under the ceasefire framework:
Both sides are required to halt hostilities.
Armed presence south of the Litani River is to be limited in line with international arrangements.
Conditions are to be created for Israeli forces to withdraw from Lebanese territory.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called on Germany to press Israel to implement the ceasefire fully and withdraw from what he described as occupied Lebanese territories.
German President Urges Continued Disarmament
During a visit to Beirut, German President Frank Walter Steinmeier urged Lebanon to continue the disarmament process. Speaking alongside President Aoun, he said both Israel and Lebanon must fulfill their obligations under the ceasefire agreement.
Steinmeier said that continued implementation of the Hezbollah Disarmament Plan would help create conditions for Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon. He described the ceasefire deal as an opportunity that both sides must respect.
Germany currently contributes 179 personnel to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, according to UNIFIL data. Berlin has led the force’s maritime taskforce since 2021. The UN peacekeeping mission’s mandate expires later this year.
Aoun also requested German support for the Lebanese army and called for a continued international role following any potential changes to UNIFIL’s presence.
Hezbollah Rejects Calls to Surrender Weapons
Hezbollah has publicly rejected the focus on disarmament.
Before the cabinet session, Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem said in a televised address that concentrating on disarmament serves what he described as the goals of Israeli aggression. He called on the government to halt measures aimed at restricting the group’s weapons and accused authorities of making concessions that he said encouraged continued Israeli attacks.
Hezbollah has so far refused to surrender its weapons north of the Litani River. The group was significantly weakened during the latest conflict with Israel but remains a major political and military actor inside Lebanon.
Conclusion
The Hezbollah Disarmament Plan now faces a critical phase as Lebanon’s army prepares for operations between the Litani and Awali rivers. With Israeli strikes ongoing, foreign diplomatic pressure mounting, and internal political divisions deepening, the coming months are likely to shape the security balance in southern Lebanon and the future of the ceasefire agreement.
