Lebanon has announced the completion of the first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah and other militant groups in the countrys south, though Israel has warned that the progress made so far is far from sufficient, raising concerns of renewed escalation. In a statement on Thursday, January 8, the Lebanese Army said it has assumed operational control over territory south of the Litani River, with the exception of five Israeli military positions still inside Lebanese land. While stopping short of declaring Hezbollah fully disarmed, the army acknowledged that operations are ongoing and said it is ready to move into the next phases of the governments security plan, known as Homeland Shield. The army said its efforts to confine weapons had reached an advanced stage after successfully completing the objectives of the first phase in a tangible and effective manner. It reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the Lebanese state, alongside other security agencies, maintains exclusive responsibility for security and stability, particularly south of the Litani River. Under a United Nations Security Council resolution, the Litani River marks the line south of which Hezbollah is prohibited from operating. Israel described Lebanons announcement as an encouraging start but said it fell short of what is required. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon clearly states that Hezbollah must be fully disarmed, accusing the group of attempting to rearm and rebuild its military infrastructure with Iranian support. These claims could not be independently verified. The Lebanese army statement avoided directly naming Hezbollah but said efforts would continue to clear unexploded ordnance and tunnels and to prevent armed groups from restoring their military capabilities. It also blamed ongoing Israeli attacks, the continued occupation of Lebanese sites, and repeated violations of the November 2024 ceasefire for slowing the extension of state authority and the disarmament process. The ceasefire followed more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which began after Hezbollah launched attacks a day after the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. As part of efforts to prevent further escalation, the United States facilitated meetings in December between civilian officials from Israel and Lebanon in southern Lebanon. Those talks focused on economic cooperation, even as Israel warned it could launch broader military action if Hezbollah failed to take concrete steps toward disarmament. The November 2024 ceasefire agreement commits Lebanon to ensuring that only state security forces bear arms, beginning in areas south of the Litani River, and to dismantling all non-state military infrastructure there.
The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon described the armys announcement as undeniable progress, while noting that significant work still lies ahead. Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued frequent airstrikes in Lebanon, citing Hezbollah violations. UN peacekeepers have warned that the strikes undermine the ceasefire and threaten the fragile progress made so far. Israels Foreign Ministry acknowledged Lebanons decision to address Hezbollahs disarmament but said the measures remain limited, insisting that extensive Hezbollah military infrastructure still exists south of the Litani River. It claimed the group is rearming faster than it is being disarmed, pointing to continued Iranian backing. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has said the government seeks to establish a full state monopoly on weapons and favors negotiations to achieve Hezbollahs complete disarmament. While Hezbollah has largely allowed disarmament south of the Litani River, it has refused to give up its weapons further north, citing continued Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory. Lebanons information minister said the army is expected to present a new plan in February aimed at disarming the Iran-backed group north of the Litani River..
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