Lebanon says phase 1 of Hezbollah disarmament complete as Iran FM visits Beirut
The announcement by the Lebanese army came as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beirut for a two-day visit amid ongoing regional tensions.
BEIRUT — Lebanon’s army announced Thursday that it has completed the first phase of a plan to put weapons held by non-state armed actors under state authority in the south and will now begin drafting a disarmament plan for areas north of the Litani River to submit to the Lebanese cabinet in February.
The army's statement did not explicitly mention Hezbollah. However, Lebanese authorities have vowed to completely disarm the paramilitary group following months of pressure from the Trump administration.
During a cabinet meeting later Thursday, following the announcement and presided over by President Joseph Aoun, Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal briefed ministers on the progress of a five-stage plan to extend state control over all weapons in the country.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed the “urgent need” to provide the Lebanese army with the necessary logistical and material support to allow it to implement “as quickly as possible” the second phase of its plan, which covers the area stretching from the Litani River, around 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of the border with Israel, to the Awali River, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of the border with Israel.
