Lebanon's president vows to disarm Hezbollah, urges full state authority over arms

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declared on July 31 that his government is determined to disarm Hezbollah and extend the state’s authority across all Lebanese territory.

In a speech marking Army Day, Aoun said, “Beirut is demanding the extension of the Lebanese state’s authority over all its territory, the removal of weapons from all armed groups including Hezbollah and their handover to the Lebanese army,” Caliber.Az reports via Al Arabiya. 

His remarks came a day after Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem rejected any calls for disarmament, claiming they aligned with Israeli interests. 

“Anyone calling today for the surrender of weapons, whether internally or externally, on the Arab or the international stage, is serving the Israeli project,” Qassem said on July 30. He also accused US envoy Tom Barrack of using “intimidation and threats” to support Israel.

Lebanon has been under significant pressure, especially from the United States, to dismantle Hezbollah’s military capabilities. The Iran-backed group suffered heavy losses during a recent conflict with Israel but is believed to still retain a considerable arsenal.

Despite a ceasefire reached in November, Israel continues to carry out strikes in southern Lebanon, citing the need to neutralise Hezbollah infrastructure and operatives. Israeli officials have vowed to maintain military operations until Hezbollah is disarmed.

Aoun urged national unity and institutional control over weapons in the country, stating that his main duty is to push towards affirming the army and security forces’ monopoly on weapons over all Lebanese territory. 

“For the thousandth time, I assure you that my concern in having a [state] weapons monopoly comes from my concern to defend Lebanon’s sovereignty and borders, to liberate the occupied Lebanese territories and build a state that welcomes all its citizens,” he added.

The president emphasised that Lebanon’s most pressing demand was for an immediate halt to Israeli hostilities, which continued to claim lives and cause destruction. 

He also noted that the Lebanese army had extended its control “over the unoccupied areas south of the Litani River and had been successful in collecting and dismantling unauthorised weapons.”

Hezbollah remains the only Lebanese faction that retained its weapons after the end of the country’s civil war in 1990.

By Sabina Mammadli