Hezbollah has dashed Lebanese hopes of a smooth transition to the second phase of the state’s weapons exclusivity plan, due to begin next week north of the Litani River.
The group revived conditions it set last year, arguing that UN Security Council Resolution 1701 applies solely to areas south of the Litani, while any steps beyond that must be addressed within a broader “national defense strategy.”
Its position comes as Israel escalates threats of a possible ground operation inside Lebanon aimed at eliminating what it calls Hezbollah’s threat.
Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal is expected to present his fourth and final report on the army’s operational achievements in enforcing weapons exclusivity south of the Litani during a Cabinet session next week.
Although the army has reiterated its readiness to carry out any task assigned by the political leadership, government observers doubt that a mandate to launch phase two will be issued smoothly, given Hezbollah’s refusal to cooperate.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has sought to ease the party’s concerns, stressing that “these weapons are Lebanese, and no one wants to hand them over to Israel.”
In a televised interview on Friday, he said weapons exclusivity simply means that arms must be under the authority of the Lebanese state, dismissing fears of internal conflict.
Government efforts to prevent a new round of fighting with Israel are running up against Israeli threats of escalation should Lebanon fail to meet its commitments on weapons control.
Israeli media reported that Tel Aviv is considering a ground incursion into Lebanon while continuing near-daily airstrikes. Israel’s public broadcaster said Hezbollah has partially rebuilt its capabilities during the ceasefire, and that Israel views the Lebanese government as unable to rein in the group.
Israeli sources also indicated that the administration of US President Donald Trump does not rule out an Israeli ground operation, but has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay any decision to allow further dialogue with Beirut.
Israel has continued intermittent strikes inside Lebanon. On Saturday, three people were wounded in an airstrike on the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese officials. The Israeli army said it had targeted a Hezbollah operative.
In response, Hezbollah lawmaker Hussein Jishi said the party had fully complied with Resolution 1701 and cooperated with the Lebanese state, the army, and international forces under the ceasefire declared on November 27, 2024. He said Lebanese leaders and UN peacekeepers had confirmed there was no evidence of violations south of the Litani.
Jishi insisted that Resolution 1701 applies only to that area, while issues beyond it are an internal Lebanese matter to be resolved through national consensus and a comprehensive defense strategy, rejecting calls for disarmament outside that framework as unrealistic and driven by external agendas.
