• Lebanon’s Prime Minister announces the imminent completion of Hezbollah disarmament south of the Litani River.
• The effort is part of a U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement concluded in November 2024.
• Lebanese authorities plan to move to the second phase of weapon control north of the Litani River.
• Disarmament aims to ensure regional stability amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes.
• Hezbollah continues to resist pressure to disarm, citing ongoing threats from Israel.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced on Saturday that the first phase of the disarmament plan for Hezbollah, particularly regarding areas south of the Litani River, is “days away from completion.” This marks a critical step toward fulfilling requirements set by a ceasefire agreement with Israel, as part of broader U.S.-backed efforts to stabilize the region following years of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended in late 2024, according to aa, aljazeera, and reuters.

Prime Minister Salam confirmed that the Lebanese authorities, under the leadership of President Joseph Aoun, have tasked the Lebanese army with formulating a plan for the establishment of a state monopoly on arms, aimed at total disarmament by the end of the year. He indicated readiness to advance to the second phase of the plan, which includes confiscating weapons north of the Litani River, as detailed in an official statement from his office, according to aa and reuters.

The discussions surrounding this disarmament come amid ongoing tensions, as Israeli officials have raised concerns regarding the Lebanese army's commitment to the disarmament efforts and have continued airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions. Despite these pressures, Hezbollah has been resisting disarmament, arguing that doing so would be unwise while Israel persists in its military operations, as highlighted by aljazeera and reuters.