Lebanon Bans Hezbollah Military Activity
In a stunning move to avoid being dragged further into the regional war, Lebanon’s Prime Minister has formally banned all military and security activities by Hezbollah on Lebanese soil. The decision came just hours after Israel struck Hezbollah-linked targets in response to attacks launched from Lebanon, but its effectiveness remains uncertain given Hezbollah's deep-seated power.
The prime minister's ban is rooted in the "Homeland Shield" plan, a five-phase roadmap approved by the Lebanese cabinet in September 2025. This initiative, led by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), aims to dismantle all militia arsenals, starting in southern Lebanon and progressively moving north to cover the entire country. The first phase, south of the Litani River, was reportedly completed in January 2026. The immediate trigger for the ban was a significant escalation early on March 2, 2026. Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets and drones at an Israeli missile defense site near Haifa. The group claimed this was retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, amid a wider U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran. Israel’s response was swift and severe, launching heavy airstrikes on Hezbollah-controlled areas, including the southern suburbs of Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon. These strikes resulted in at least 31 deaths and 149 injuries, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The Israeli military also issued evacuation orders for dozens of Lebanese villages. This decision to ban Hezbollah's military wing exposes deep fissures within Lebanon's political landscape. Pro-disarmament factions, including many Christian, Druze, and Sunni parties, see it as vital for state sovereignty. Conversely, Hezbollah and its key ally, the Amal Movement, have vehemently opposed it, with Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem previously warning that forcing disarmament could lead to "civil war." The government's move is backed by international actors like the United States, France, and Saudi Arabia, who link financial aid for Lebanon's recovery to the successful disarmament of militias. However, the LAF's ability to enforce the ban is uncertain, given that Hezbollah's military wing is widely considered to be stronger than the national army. This ban represents the most direct challenge to Hezbollah's autonomy in decades, shifting its official status from a tolerated "resistance" movement to a banned organization. The move is part of a broader push by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government, which came to power in January 2025, to assert state authority and implement UN Security Council resolutions requiring the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon.
