Lebanese govt to discuss army plan on disarming militias on 5 September

A cabinet session to discuss the Lebanese army’s plan to disarm all militant groups in the country, including Hezbollah, will be held on 5 September, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s Office announced Friday.

The anticipated session was initially scheduled for 2 September.

Salam said his government will meet next Friday afternoon at the Baabda Presidential Palace to discuss implementing the plan the army was tasked with formulating at the start of August.

In an unprecedented move, the cabinet assigned the army with drawing up a plan by the end of August on how to disarm all militant groups in the country, namely Hezbollah, by year's end.

Hezbollah was the only faction to retain its arms after the 1975-1990 civil war, as Israel continued to occupy southern Lebanon until 2000.

The Iran-backed group has publicly refused to hand over its weapons, and party leader Naim Qassem has warned that any attempts to forcefully disarm it could lead to civil strife.

Lebanese Defence Minister Michel Menassa pushed back against Qassem’s comments, saying that the state was "not afraid" and stressed there can no longer be military dualism in Lebanon.

Hezbollah came out significantly weakened from last year’s war with Israel and has since faced major setbacks. But it is believed the group still possesses ballistic rockets, precision-guided missiles, and drones.

Much of the region south of the Litani River, where UN peacekeepers operate alongside the Lebanese Armed Forces, has already been disarmed.

Lebanon has also begun disarming Palestinian camps, a first in many decades.

The Palestinian Authority’s Fatah Movement began handing over its weapons to the Lebanese army last week and has since surrendered arms in four camps.

Under a US-brokered ceasefire that ended more than 13 months of hostilities, including two months of an all-out war, the Lebanese state must monopolise all arms and take full control of the country, and Israel must pull its forces out of southern Lebanon.

But Tel Aviv continues to occupy five border posts it deems strategic, refusing to pull out before Hezbollah is fully disarmed.

US-mediated negotiations have hit a snag as Israel refuses to make concessions or adhere to a step-by-step mechanism.

Lebanese officials have criticised Washington for failing to exert sufficient pressure on Israel to uphold its commitments under the 27 November 2024 ceasefire deal.

For its part, the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) renewed calls on Friday to respect the Blue Line and for a "complete cessation of hostilities."

The Blue Line refers to the unofficial border between Lebanon and Israel drawn by the UN in 2000 after Israel’s military withdrawal.

The UNIFIL statement came a day after two Lebanese soldiers were killed when a fallen Israeli drone they were inspecting exploded.

"This tragic loss highlights the risks facing the Lebanese Armed Forces as they assume greater responsibilities in securing southern Lebanon," the statement said.

Israel has continued to carry out near-daily strikes on parts of Lebanon, vowing to keep Hezbollah weakened.

UNIFIL renewed calls for the full implementation of the ceasefire deal, including Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon.

UNIFIL’s mandate was extended Thursday for one last time until the end of 2026, ending its nearly five-decade presence in south Lebanon.

The US and Israel had sought to end the mission this year, but Washington’s envoy to the UN said this would be the last time the US votes in favour of an extension.