BEIRUT: The Lebanese army declared on Thursday that progress on the second phase of a plan to place all weapons under state authority depends on external factors, highlighting constraints facing the state.
These include continued Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory, the occupation of several Lebanese sites, the establishment of buffer zones, repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement, and delays in the delivery of promised military capabilities to the army.
The statements were made during a cabinet session on Thursday, where the army announced the successful completion of the first phase of Hezbollah disarmament south of the Litani River.
Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal briefed ministers on the progress and confirmed that preparations are underway to assess conditions for launching the second phase, which will extend northward to the area between the Litani and Awali rivers.
The Lebanese army’s stance comes at a time of mounting Israeli and US pressure on Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah across all Lebanese territory, alongside Israeli skepticism about the army’s ability to carry out such a task.
