Lebanon Bans Hezbollah's Military Activities
In a decisive move to avoid being dragged into the wider Mideast war, Lebanon’s Prime Minister announced an immediate ban on all of Hezbollah's military and security activities. The rare and forceful stance comes just hours after the Iran-backed group launched attacks on Israel from Lebanese soil.
This move by the Lebanese government represents the most significant attempt to enforce state authority over the country's defense since the end of the civil war. For decades, Hezbollah has operated as a "state within a state," maintaining a military apparatus more powerful than the Lebanese army, complete with an arsenal of tens of thousands of rockets and missiles. The group's military wing has been a dominant force in Lebanese politics and regional conflicts, often acting in concert with its primary backer, Iran. The decision follows the formation of a new government in February 2025, led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun, which is seen as less aligned with Hezbollah. This government has been navigating a complex political landscape, with Hezbollah and its allies still holding key ministerial posts. However, the new administration has made the disarmament of militias a central policy, approving a phased plan by the Lebanese Armed Forces in September 2025 to bring all weapons under state control. Previous international agreements have repeatedly called for the disarmament of all Lebanese militias. The 1989 Taif Agreement, which ended the civil war, and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which followed the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, both mandated the disarming of non-state actors. However, these have never been fully implemented, with Hezbollah arguing its arms were necessary for "resistance" against Israel. The government's hand has been forced by a spiraling economic crisis and immense international pressure. Lebanon's GDP has plummeted from $55 billion in 2018 to under $31 billion, and the 2026 state budget is a mere fraction of its pre-crisis levels, primarily covering public sector salaries with little left for investment. A modest economic recovery in 2025 is considered fragile and dependent on political stability and substantive reforms. The immediate trigger for the ban was a series of rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah on northern Israel, which broke a ceasefire that had been in place since November 2024. This prompted retaliatory Israeli airstrikes on Beirut and southern Lebanon, killing at least 31 people and wounding 149, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. The Lebanese government is now attempting to assert its monopoly on the use of force, a move that will test the fragile state's authority and could lead to significant internal and regional repercussions.
