Lebanon Bans Hezbollah's Military

Hezbollah's military wing has operated as a "state within a state" in Lebanon since it was founded in 1982 and was allowed to keep its arms at the end of the civil war. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government, which came to power in February 2025, has been under immense pressure to implement a plan for the disarmament of all militias. The Prime Minister’s decision follows a series of escalations, including Hezbollah launching rocket and drone attacks against Israel. These attacks were reportedly in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike that killed Iran's Supreme Leader. In response, Israel launched significant air raids on southern Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold. Salam, a former judge at the International Court of Justice, won the premiership on a reformist platform, defeating a candidate backed by Hezbollah. His election was seen as a sign of Hezbollah's and Iran's waning influence in Lebanese politics, and he has previously stated that the decision of war and peace rests solely with the state. This ban attempts to enforce long-standing but ignored international resolutions like UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon and for the area south of the Litani River to be free of non-state armed forces. The government has ordered the Lebanese Army to enforce the ban and restrict weapons to state control, a move that directly challenges Hezbollah's autonomy in the south of the country. This follows a cabinet decision in September 2025 that approved the "Homeland Shield Plan," a roadmap for disarming all militias. Hezbollah's political wing, which holds seats in the Lebanese Parliament, has not yet officially responded to the ban. The group has previously resisted attempts to dismantle its military capabilities, leading to political instability. Many international actors have long distinguished between Hezbollah's political and military wings, with some, like the UK, eventually banning all wings of the organization.