Hezbollah

Lebanon Must Dare to Choose Peace

In Lebanon, the word “peace” has for too long been confiscated, reduced to an empty slogan or an untouchable taboo, synonymous with “treason.” Yet if our country is to survive, rebuild its economy, and restore hope to its citizens, it can no longer afford to remain trapped in a logic of perpetual war. Peace, including with Israel, must ...

⁠Lebanon Blinks First: Berri Smiles, Hezbollah Wins

Today’s much-anticipated Lebanese cabinet session made headlines—but not for decisive action. While the army unveiled its plan to disarm Hezbollah and restore a state monopoly on arms, the meeting concluded without any clear implementation timeline, sparking frustrations across the political spectrum. Strikingly, Speaker Nabih Berri ...

Cabinet Backs Army’s Disarmament Plan Despite Shia Ministers’ Walkout

The Cabinet met on Friday at the presidential palace in Baabda and approved the Lebanese Army’s plan to restore the state’s monopoly on weapons after reviewing its various phases, presented by Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal. The session, chaired by President Joseph Aoun, gave the green light to the military’s action plan in the absence ...

Hezbollah, Amal Supporters Stage Motorcycle Parades

Supporters of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement held motorcycle parades on Friday along the road leading to Beirut International Airport (BIA) and in the neighborhood of Mar Mikhael, only hours after the Cabinet endorsed the Lebanese Army’s plan to confine weapons to state institutions. Earlier in the day, the Lebanese Army reinforced its ...

The Guardianship Syndrome

Lebanon’s modern history has been shaped by successive forms of foreign tutelage, beginning with the proclamation of Greater Lebanon 105 years ago. Over the course of half a century, the country experienced various mandates and occupations: 23 years under the French Mandate, 30 years under Syrian domination, alongside repeated Israeli invasions ...

Council of Ministers: A Moment of Truth on Disarmament

The Council of Ministers will meet today to examine the Lebanese Army’s plan for militia disarmament. Despite the uncertainty, three points are clear before the session: the meeting will take place, ministers from the Shia duo will attend, and the army’s plan will be formally submitted to the government. However, serious doubts remain that ...

The Empty Chair Policy That No Longer Works

The empty chair is not a strategy, it is a disguised escape. While the vast majority of Lebanese want a functioning state, Hezbollah maintains its destructive blocking tactics. But this approach can no longer succeed. Since replacing the Syrian patron in 2005, the pro-Iranian group has steadily taken over institutions and created a chronic ...

Lebanese Army Raises Readiness Level to 75% Ahead of Cabinet Meeting

Hours ahead of Friday afternoon’s Cabinet meeting, the Lebanese Army has increased its readiness level to 75%, focusing its forces on monitoring sensitive points. The Lebanese Army is reported to be stepping up its deployment in Beirut, the suburbs and on key roads to prevent any clashes. Local broadcaster LBCI reported that strict directives ...

Disarming Hezbollah: The Lebanese Army Challenge

As Lebanon slowly recovers from the war between Hezbollah and Israel, the Lebanese Army faces a critical mission: extending state sovereignty across the entire country by establishing a monopoly on arms. This requires disarming the Iran-backed militia, a historic and high-risk operation that could redefine both the army’s role and the ...

The Lebanese Army Reinforces Presence Amid Hezbollah Support Rally

The Lebanese army intensified its presence on Thursday around the airport – a strategic location near the main access roads leading to the southern suburbs – and in southern Lebanon, following an internal directive that called for the “strict enforcement of the document issued on September 24, 2024, regarding raising the readiness rate to ...

Hezbollah’s Weapons: A Leaky Umbrella

On Friday, the Council of Ministers is, in principle and unless the session is postponed, scheduled to examine the army's plan to disarm Hezbollah. The key question is: Will there be a timeline or not? Without one, Hezbollah would gain time and save face while waiting to see how negotiations between Iran and the United States unfold. For everyone ...