Lebanon’s government approves US-backed plan to disarm Hezbollah, sparking crisis

The Lebanese government has accepted a resolution, in line with a US proposal for disarmament, that mandates the termination of all armed groups’ activities in the country and brings all weapons under state control. The decision, which aims to disarm all organizations, including Hezbollah, by the end of the year, has sparked widespread political and social repercussions. While the resolution has faced harsh criticism from within the government and the public, experts state that its implementation on the ground is nearly impossible.

Under pressure from the US, the Lebanese government approved the resolution stipulating that all weapons in the country, including those held by Hezbollah, be brought under state monopoly and collected by the end of the year. While the decision caused political and social shockwaves in the country, it was described by the US as a “courageous” and “historic” step.

The disarmament decision was made during a Council of Ministers meeting chaired by President Joseph Aoun at the Baabda Palace. In a statement following the meeting, Information Minister Paul Markus emphasized that the government aims to re-establish state authority, ensure stability throughout the country, and pursue reconstruction.

Markus stated, “We have agreed on the termination of armed presence throughout all territories, including Hezbollah, and the deployment of the army on the border.” He also announced that the government has adopted the objectives of the US proposal and that the Lebanese army will prepare a detailed plan for the collection of weapons.

Some ministers left the meeting

Minister Markus noted that despite all efforts to persuade them, some ministers left the meeting but did not withdraw from the government. Minister of Labor Muhammad Haidar told Al-Jadeed television that they left the meeting because they did not approve of the US proposal but requested that the issue be reconsidered later.

Minister of Justice Adnan Nassar conveyed that the ministers in question support the role of the Lebanese army and are not opposed to the principle of consolidating weapons under a single authority.

Full US support: “Historic and courageous”

Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Envoy for Syria, supported the Lebanese government’s decision in statements on his X account. Describing the decision as a “historic and courageous” step towards implementing the Ceasefire Agreement with Israel of November 2024, UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and the Taif Agreement, Barrack congratulated President Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

“This week’s Council of Ministers decisions have finally brought the ‘One Nation, One Army’ solution to life for Lebanon. We stand with the Lebanese people,” said Barrack, emphasizing that US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mark Rubio also support the goal of a strong Lebanese state against Hezbollah.

Hezbollah’s reaction: “A grave mistake”

The strongest reaction to the decision came from Hezbollah. Hezbollah argued that the government’s decision would “deprive Lebanon of its resistance weapon against Israel” and that this was a “grave mistake.” In a statement on July 30, Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem stated that disarmament is an internal Lebanese matter, saying, “We will not lay down our arms for Israel.”

Street protests

Following the decision, Lebanese supporters of Hezbollah held protest demonstrations in the Dahieh suburb of the capital Beirut, as well as in the cities of Baalbek, Nabatieh, and Tyre. In demonstrations involving hundreds of vehicles and motorcycles, protesters voiced their opposition to the government’s decision to collect weapons.

Protesters blocked traffic by burning tires on the roads and chanted slogans targeting the government and Israel while waving Hezbollah flags. Tensions occasionally flared up with security forces.

A plan to be prepared by year-end

As part of the decision, the Council of Ministers has tasked the Lebanese army with preparing a comprehensive plan for the collection of weapons by the end of the year. If the plan is implemented, the activities of all armed factions, including Hezbollah, will be terminated, and military control throughout the country will be under state monopoly.

Hezbollah sources warn of escalating tensions

Speaking to The Cradle, Hezbollah sources stated that the government’s decision is “impossible to implement” and that the organization is “ready for any confrontation, even to the death.” The sources warned that the party possesses intelligence that foreign actors are supplying weapons to rival Lebanese groups at a time when Hezbollah is being asked to disarm, describing this as a “highly suspicious contradiction.”

The Cradle‘s report included the following assessment: “Lebanon’s political and security landscape is now at a critical juncture. From security tensions to political disagreements, there is a deep mistrust among stakeholders. External pressures continue to mount, and today’s cabinet session could be a significant turning point—either toward a fragile and conditional calm or a broader political explosion that could spill onto the streets…”