US pressures Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, say sources

The United States is pressuring Lebanon to place Hezbollah’s disarmament on the government agenda, to formally commit to the group’s demilitarisation, Lebanese political sources have confirmed.

According to a parliamentary source familiar with the discussions, the US is pushing for the cabinet to endorse a timetable for Hezbollah to hand over its weapons, giving the process legal weight, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

“According to a document recently presented by US envoys, Lebanon is expected to hand over Hezbollah’s weapons within a set timeframe, with the cabinet required to formally approve the process to give it legal weight,” the source said.

“The demand for Lebanon to implement the US document may be a prelude to raising the issue of normalisation with Israel or, at the very least, to concluding a new armistice agreement.”

Washington is also linking progress on this issue with other regional goals, including the return of Syrian refugees and the revival of international reconstruction aid.

“What is happening in Syria and Lebanon is similar: attempts to exert military pressure to extract political concessions, as is being done with the Syrian government, which seeks international legitimacy, and with the Lebanese government, which is in need of economic assistance,” a Lebanese official said.

Hezbollah’s capabilities were severely damaged in a year-long war with Israel that ended in November. The conflict resulted in the destruction of the group’s infrastructure, the deaths of senior commanders, and the compromise of its security networks. Under the ceasefire, Hezbollah is required to withdraw fighters and weapons from southern Lebanon, and all armed non-state actors are to be disarmed nationwide.

Despite this, Israel continues to strike southern Lebanon almost daily and has launched multiple attacks on Beirut. It maintains control over five military posts along the border.

President Joseph Aoun has reiterated his support for placing all weapons under state control but insists the transition must come through dialogue.

Sources say the Lebanese government is not rejecting the US plan outright but is seeking to rephrase the proposal to include reciprocal commitments from Israel.

“Consultations... are focusing on the idea of rephrasing the US document... by emphasising mutual steps from both Lebanon and Israel,” the parliamentary source said.

A source close to Hezbollah warned that the US demand could trigger internal unrest. “The US demand... risks pushing Lebanon into a major internal crisis,” the source said.

A US official said Hezbollah remained neutral during the Israel-Iran war under pressure from both Tehran and internal vulnerabilities. “They've taken a knee,” the official said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev