Lebanon’s president still thinks Beirut can successfully confiscate arms from Hezbollah - analysis - Seth J. Frantzman

 

by Seth J. Frantzman

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun announced that the army will launch a peace initiative in southern Lebanon, taking control of additional positions along the border.

 

Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah block the streets with burning tires as they rally in cars and motorbikes to protest the government's endorsement of a plan to disarm it, in Beirut's southern suburbs early on August 8, 2025

(photo credit: IBRAHIM AMRO/AFP via Getty Images)

 

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said over the weekend that it is the responsibility of Lebanon’s army to protect all Lebanese people and that the army will launch a peace initiative in southern Lebanon, where it will take control of more positions along the border.

It is not clear how this will happen as Israel continues to control several points in Lebanon and has increased its strikes on Hezbollah. Aoun says that Lebanon still wants a monopoly on weapons, but it is unclear how it will collect arms from groups that Lebanon intends to disarm.

The problem for Lebanon is that its leaders are better at making speeches and statements than actually confiscating the arms. For instance, Lebanon had actually collected weapons from some Palestinian factions in the Ain al-Hilweh camp, but apparently, the arms remained with Hamas members. This is just one example of how the government failed to disarm a single small camp.

How will it collect them from Hezbollah?

Saudi news outlet, Arab News, reported that “Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, on Friday reaffirmed that responsibility for the protection of southern Lebanon rests solely with the Lebanese army.” However, this was short on details. He was visiting a barracks in Tyre, Lebanon’s army headquarters for the southern Litani sector along the border with Israel, the report said. It appears the Trump administration is nonplussed. They cancelled meetings with Lebanese Army commander General Rudolph Haikal. Aoun met with Haikal over the weekend during the trip to Tyre.

Aoun discussed with the army various issues, including the Mechanism Committee that monitors the truce with Israel. Aoun wants a permanent solution in southern Lebanon. He said the state is ready to present a timetable for the army to take control of border positions.

People and members of the Lebanese army gather at a damaged site in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, in Abbasiyyeh, Tyre district, southern Lebanon, November 6, 2025. (credit: Ali Hankir/Reuters)

However, it is unclear when this will happen and whether Israel will reduce strikes and see if the army will actually collect the arms. Lebanon keeps saying it is ready and willing for regional states to play a role. However, it never seems to actually “ensure all weapons outside state control are permanently neutralized,” despite Aoun’s claims.

Seth J. Frantzman

Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-874802

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