Lebanon’s government bans Hezbollah’s military activities and orders it to surrender weapons after the group’s attacks on Israel sparked deadly retaliatory strikes.
BEIRUT: The Lebanese government has ordered an immediate ban on all military and security activities by the Iran-backed Hezbollah group and demanded it surrender its weapons to the state.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced the unprecedented decision following an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday, hours after Hezbollah launched rockets and drones towards Israel.
The Lebanese state declares its absolute and unequivocal rejection of any military or security actions launched from Lebanese territory outside the framework of its legitimate institutions.
This necessitates the immediate prohibition of all of Hezbollah’s security and military activities, considering them to be outside the law, and obliging it to hand over its weapons.
Salam stated that he had ordered the military and security agencies to take immediate measures to implement the cabinet decision and prevent any further military operations from Lebanese soil.
The government’s move targets Hezbollah, which holds seats in both the cabinet and parliament, after its attacks were launched to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Israel responded to Hezbollah’s barrage with intense retaliatory strikes on Beirut and villages in south Lebanon, killing at least 31 people and wounding 149 others according to the health ministry.
Salam called on the United States and France, which guarantee a November 2024 ceasefire, to obtain a clear and final commitment from Israel to cease all attacks on Lebanese territory.
He announced the government’s full readiness to resume negotiations with Israel, with civilian participation and under international auspices.
The Lebanese government had previously decided last August to gradually disarm Hezbollah following a year-long war with Israel.
The ceasefire agreement, monitored by a committee including Lebanon, Israel, the US, France and UN peacekeepers, did not stop Israel from continuing to strike what it said were Hezbollah-linked targets.
