Lebanon army chief to present weapons monopoly plan after foreign tour

Lebanese army commander General Rodolphe Haykal, is preparing to present his monthly report on a plan to place all weapons under state control at a cabinet session expected early next week amid growing international scrutiny.

The session, likely to be held on Monday, comes at a critical stage for the plan, particularly as it moves towards areas north of the Litani River, where Hezbollah has signalled it would not cooperate.

The outcome is also expected to influence international efforts to bolster support for the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Haykal is expected to brief ministers on the results of his recent visits to the United States, Saudi Arabia and upcoming trip to Munich.

According to a Lebanese military source who spoke to The New Arab's sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the meetings were "positive" and stressed the importance of supporting the army in implementing its weapons monopoly plan.

The source said the commander would present an assessment of the first phase of the plan, which focused on areas south of the Litani River.

That phase included dismantling hundreds of military sites, warehouses and tunnels belonging to Hezbollah and confiscating thousands of weapons. The army is said to have identified additional locations where further operations are planned.

Haykal is also expected to outline a roadmap for the second phase, which would extend north of the Litani River up to the Awali River north of Sidon.

The push to expand the plan comes amid sustained US pressure on Beirut to curb Hezbollah's military capabilities and ensure that arms remain solely under state authority.

However, the army is insisting that the near-daily Israeli attacks must cease and that Israeli forces should withdraw from positions they have continued to occupy in southern Lebanon to ensure the success of the plan.

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are coordinating through the ceasefire monitoring mechanism and with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), according to the source, who stressed the army's commitment to maintaining civil peace and avoiding internal clashes with residents during its disarmament operations.

Ministers from Hezbollah and its allied Amal Movement are expected to attend next week's cabinet session.

According to information obtained by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, they are likely to reiterate their position that Israel's withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, an end to violations and the release of Lebanese detainees must take priority.

There are currently no indications that the ministers would resign from government. Hezbollah MP Hussein al-Hajj Hassan said the group would remain part of the state and continue to express its views from within government institutions.

He argued that if authorities wish to extend state authority, they must first halt Israeli attacks, secure withdrawal from occupied land, ensure the release of detainees and advance reconstruction efforts.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam departed for Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference, where Haykal is also expected to participate.

In southern Lebanon, Israeli forces continue to breach the ceasefire that took effect on 27 November 2024.

Israeli troops entered the outskirts of Adaisseh in southern Lebanon and demolished two buildings before advancing into central Kfarkela and detonating another structure.

Shelling was also reported on the outskirts of Yaroun, damaging two homes, while Israeli aircraft flew at low altitude over southern areas.