Hezbollah defies disarmament, blames Israel, while terror violations prove Lebanon’s sovereignty hostage to militias.
Naim Qassem, head of the Iran-backed terror organization Hezbollah, declared Sunday that efforts to disarm his militia constitute an “Israeli-American plan,” even as Hezbollah continues to violate the ceasefire it signed. His remarks, reported by AFP, underscore Hezbollah’s refusal to relinquish weapons and its prioritization of Tehran’s agenda over Lebanon’s sovereignty.
A U.S.-backed ceasefire reached in November 2024 ended more than a year of fighting with Israel and required Hezbollah to disarm—beginning south of the Litani River, adjacent to Israel’s northern border. Instead of complying, Hezbollah has repeatedly breached the agreement—over 1,900 violations, including hundreds that went unanswered by local forces—while rebuilding launch sites and maintaining armed positions near Israeli communities.
Lebanon’s leadership has moved to restore state authority. Under President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, the Lebanese Armed Forces—with U.S. support—were tasked to ensure a state monopoly on arms by year’s end. Salam recently stated that disarmament south of the Litani is nearing completion.
Qassem rejected the plan outright, insisting Hezbollah would keep its weapons and conditioning any Lebanese action on Israel first “halting aggression” and enabling reconstruction. The claim collapses under the facts: Israel’s post-ceasefire strikes have been targeted responses to Hezbollah’s ongoing militarization, not provocations. This week, the Israel Defense Forces dismantled multiple Hezbollah launch sites in southern Lebanon—actions compelled by persistent violations.
The reality is clear. Israel seeks a quiet border anchored in enforceable demilitarization; Hezbollah seeks perpetual armed leverage. By branding Lebanese sovereignty as a foreign plot, Hezbollah exposes itself as an Iranian proxy, undermining Lebanon’s future while dragging civilians into repeated cycles of conflict. Security will come not from excuses—but from disarmament.
