Hezbollah rules out disarmament until full Israeli withdrawal

Shafaq News/ Hezbollah disarmament is off the table unless Israel fully withdraws from southern Lebanon and halts its ongoing violations of the ceasefire agreement, a Hezbollah official announced on Friday.

The Head of Hezbollah’s Liaison and Coordination Unit Wafiq Safa told Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Nour Radio, “What President Joseph Aoun referred to is the defensive strategy,” explaining that the aim is to agree on a national defense strategy to protect Lebanon, not leading Hezbollah to surrender its weapons.

Both the Lebanese army and Hezbollah are abiding by the ceasefire agreement, particularly the dismantling of military infrastructure and the seizure of Hezbollah arms south of the Litani River, he confirmed, adding, “What is required of Hezbollah under UN Resolution 1701 has been fulfilled.”

Regarding weapons found by the army he revealed that they are either remnants of Israeli strikes or effectively unusable.

A source close to Hezbollah told AFP earlier this month that around 265 Hezbollah military sites were identified south of the Litani, of which approximately 190 have been handed over to the Lebanese army.

The Beirut government faces mounting US pressure to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure following its recent war with Israel, which inflicted major losses on the group’s leadership and armed capabilities.

While the agreement also required Israel to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory it occupied during the conflict, Israeli forces have maintained positions in five strategic hilltops, citing security concerns and continued cross-border threats.