What's happened
Hezbollah warns Lebanon's government that efforts to disarm the group across the country could lead to chaos or civil war. Lebanon aims to control all arms per a 2024 agreement, but Hezbollah insists the deal only applies to the south. Tensions escalate as Israel and Lebanon exchange hostilities.
What's behind the headline?
Hezbollah's warning underscores the fragile balance of Lebanon's disarmament process and regional stability. The group's insistence that the 2024 deal only applies to the south reveals its strategic aim to maintain its arsenal and influence. The Lebanese government's disarmament efforts are met with resistance, risking escalation into wider conflict. Israel's cautious response indicates concern over Hezbollah's rearmament, which could undermine regional peace. The Lebanese Foreign Minister's admission that Israeli strikes are permitted as long as Hezbollah retains weapons signals a de facto acceptance of ongoing hostilities, complicating diplomatic efforts. This situation suggests that Lebanon remains a battleground of competing interests, with Hezbollah's military strength and regional alliances shaping the future of stability in the region.
What the papers say
The New Arab reports Hezbollah's warning of chaos if disarmament efforts proceed beyond the south, emphasizing the group's refusal to relinquish arms elsewhere. The Times of Israel highlights Lebanon's disarmament claims and Israel's cautious stance, noting ongoing Israeli strikes and Hezbollah's rearmament. Reuters provides context on Lebanon's pledge to control all arms and Hezbollah's rejection, framing the broader regional tensions and the impact of the Gaza conflict on Lebanon-Israel hostilities. The articles collectively reveal a complex picture of a country torn between disarmament commitments and regional security threats, with Hezbollah's strategic posture central to the ongoing instability.
How we got here
Following the 2024 ceasefire agreement ending a war between Hezbollah and Israel, Lebanon pledged to bring all arms under state control. Hezbollah maintains that the deal only covers the southern border region, refusing to disarm elsewhere. The Lebanese army claims control of the south, but Hezbollah rejects this, demanding Israeli troop withdrawals and prisoner releases. The recent conflict was triggered by Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks on Israel after Hamas's assault in Gaza, leading to ongoing cross-border hostilities.
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese parliament.
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Lebanon, officially known as the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lies west across the Mediterranean Sea.