Lebanon bans Hezbollah’s military activities

The Lebanese government has outlawed all security and military activities of Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has announced.

Salam has called for Hezbollah to hand over its weapons to the state and said the Lebanese Army would immediately start implementing its plan to disarm the group.

Explaining the ban, the prime minister pointed to an overnight missile launch into northern Israel claimed by Hezbollah. He stated that the act directly contradicted the country’s rejection of being “dragged into the ongoing regional war,” while asserting “the state’s monopoly on the use of force.”

The Lebanese government has also called on the US and France, as the guarantor states of the Declaration of Cessation of Hostilities between Lebanon and Israel, to “obtain a clear and final commitment from the Israeli side to cease all attacks on all Lebanese territory.”

The document was agreed upon in November 2024 to end the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which raged for over a year.

Under the terms of the agreement, Lebanon is obliged to prevent Hezbollah and all other armed groups in the country from launching attacks against Israel. In return, Israel is required to refrain from offensive military operations against Lebanese targets and to gradually withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon. The agreement states that it does not waive the inherent right of self-defense for either Israel or Lebanon, consistent with international law.

Following rocket fire by Hezbollah in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US-Israeli regime change operation launched on Saturday, Israel carried out airstrikes on Lebanon on Monday, killing at least 31 people, according to the authorities.

Despite the US-brokered ceasefire, Israel has routinely attacked its northern neighbor, accusing it of violating its side of the agreement.

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