Lbeebanon’s President Condemns Israeli Attacks as Army Prepares Hezbollah Disarmament Plan
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun denounces Israeli airstrikes as violations of UN Resolution 1701, while the Lebanese army readies a controversial disarmament strategy targeting Hezbollah and other militias.
Introduction
BEIRUT — Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun on Thursday strongly condemned a series of Israeli strikes across Lebanese territory, calling them “a direct challenge to international law and UN Resolution 1701.” His remarks came just a day before the Lebanese Cabinet is set to review the army’s long-awaited strategy for disarming Hezbollah and other armed groups, a plan that could reshape the country’s fragile security landscape.
The developments unfold against a backdrop of escalating regional tensions, persistent Israeli operations inside Lebanon, and domestic political divides over the future of Hezbollah’s vast arsenal.
Israeli Strikes Escalate Tensions
The latest Israeli bombardments targeted multiple areas north and south of the Litani River, including Shebaa, Taybeh, Yater, Kharayeb, and Adloun, killing and wounding several civilians, among them Syrian laborers.
The Israeli military claimed responsibility, saying it had struck “a Hezbollah facility in Ansariyeh used for storing engineering equipment.” However, the site’s owner denied any Hezbollah connection, insisting the destroyed warehouse contained only bulldozers under repair.
Israeli officials also announced the killing of Abdul Munim Sweidan, described as a Hezbollah commander in Yater.
Since the November 27 ceasefire agreement came into effect, more than 264 people have been killed and 540 injured in Lebanon due to continued Israeli strikes, according to Lebanese authorities.
Lebanon’s Official Response
Presidential Condemnation
President Joseph Aoun said the strikes reflect Israel’s “continued defiance of international will” and disregard for the UN Security Council’s repeated calls to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam echoed the criticism, describing the operations as “a flagrant breach of the November ceasefire agreement, UN Resolution 1701, and international law.”
Salam warned: “The international community’s credibility hangs in the balance. It must act immediately to pressure Israel into stopping these violations.”
UN Resolution 1701
Adopted in 2006 after the Israel–Hezbollah war, Resolution 1701 called for:
- An immediate end to hostilities.
- Israeli troop withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
- Hezbollah’s withdrawal from areas south of the Litani River.
- The disarmament of all non-state armed groups in Lebanon.
Despite its provisions, enforcement has been uneven, leaving both Israel and Hezbollah to accuse each other of violations.
The ongoing Israeli strikes highlight the fragility of the ceasefire and underscore the urgency of Lebanon’s internal debate over Hezbollah’s weapons.
Cabinet to Debate Hezbollah Disarmament
On Friday, the Lebanese Cabinet is scheduled to review the army’s plan for gradual disarmament of Hezbollah and other militias, a step rooted in the 1989 Taif Agreement and mandated by international resolutions.
Army’s Strategy
According to military sources, the plan includes:
- Collection of arms south and north of the Litani River.
- Targeting weapons caches hidden in villages and valleys.
- A later phase covering Beirut’s southern suburbs and Baalbek-Hermel, where long-range missiles are believed to be stored.
Officials claim that more than 80% of heavy, medium, and light weapons south of the Litani have already been confiscated.
However, the army acknowledges that Hezbollah’s arsenal remains elusive due to its clandestine operations and leadership secrecy, especially after years of targeted Israeli assassinations.
Hezbollah’s Resistance and Political Fallout
Opposition to Disarmament
Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement, oppose the government’s timeline, arguing it undermines Lebanon’s defense posture against Israel. They have threatened to boycott Cabinet sessions and mobilize street protests.
Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc accused the government of “offering concessions to the enemy” and urged leaders to “abandon unpatriotic plans that violate the National Pact and the principle of resistance.”
Religious Endorsement of State Authority
In contrast, Lebanon’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian publicly endorsed the Cabinet’s move to centralize arms under state control.
“No state has two armies,” he said. “Militias have obstructed state-building across the Arab world. Weapons must belong only to the state.”
International Mediation and U.S. Involvement
The crisis has drawn international attention. U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus, accompanied by retired Gen. Michael Kurilla, is set to return to Beirut for talks with Lebanese military officials and members of the Quintet Committee — comprising Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, the U.S., and France.
Their agenda includes reviewing the disarmament plan, assessing the Lebanese army’s operational needs, and evaluating compliance with the ceasefire.
External observers warn that any failure in implementing the plan could risk further destabilization and potentially ignite another Lebanon–Israel conflict.
Risks Ahead
The Lebanese government faces a delicate balancing act:
- Enforcing disarmament to fulfill international obligations.
- Maintaining internal unity, given Hezbollah’s entrenched political power.
- Preventing escalation with Israel, which continues to justify its strikes as defensive operations.
For ordinary Lebanese, the stakes remain high. Civilian casualties, economic instability, and the specter of renewed war weigh heavily on a nation already grappling with financial collapse and political paralysis.
Conclusion
Lebanon now stands at a historic crossroads. President Aoun’s condemnation of Israeli strikes underscores mounting frustration with violations of sovereignty, while the army’s forthcoming disarmament plan could mark a turning point in the state’s decades-long struggle to assert control over weapons.
Yet with Hezbollah resisting, Israeli airstrikes intensifying, and international stakeholders pressing for stability, the road ahead promises to be fraught with uncertainty.
As Lebanon prepares for Friday’s Cabinet meeting, the question remains: can the state reclaim its monopoly on arms, or will the country descend deeper into conflict and division?
Keywords for SEO
Primary Keywords: Lebanon Israel conflict, Hezbollah disarmament, UN Resolution 1701, Joseph Aoun, Nawaf Salam.
Secondary Keywords: Lebanese army plan, Hezbollah weapons, Israeli airstrikes Lebanon, Litani River attacks, Taif Agreement.
Semantic Keywords: sovereignty, ceasefire violations, militias in Lebanon, international law, Quintet Committee, Middle East tensions.
Read More...
- For related coverage: “Read more on Middle East conflict updates”
- Explore: “Latest on UN and international diplomacy”
- Background: “Lebanon’s ongoing political crisis and reforms”
Credible Sources
- United Nations – UN Resolution 1701
- Reuters coverage of Lebanon–Israel tensions
- BBC News – Middle East
https://www.cnnnews.online/2025/09/lbeebanons-president-condemns-israeli.html
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