Hezbollah rejects disarmament timeline, dragging Lebanon back to political deadlock

BAABDA, Lebanon — Lebanon’s fragile political landscape veered once again into deadlock on Monday, as Hezbollah’s leadership publicly rejected calls to hand over its weapons or commit to a timeline for disarmament. The move coincided with a high-stakes cabinet session in Baabda Presidential Palace that had been expected to lay the groundwork for consolidating all arms under the authority of the Lebanese state.

Speaking at a memorial for slain Iranian commander Mohammad Saeed Izadi, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem firmly ruled out the possibility of disarmament while Israeli aggression persists, signaling once again that the group views its arsenal as non-negotiable.

“There is no agreement with Israel, nor will there be,” Qassem said, reaffirming the party’s longstanding doctrine of “Army, People, and Resistance” as the bedrock of Lebanon’s defense strategy. “We will not surrender our weapons — doing so would be surrendering Lebanon’s dignity.”

The cabinet session, attended by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, ended without a firm resolution. Still, Salam announced that the Lebanese Army had been tasked with drafting a plan for disarmament by the end of the year. A more detailed discussion on a US-drafted proposal is expected Thursday.

But sources present in the session told Anbaa that two key ministers, Tamara Zain and Rakan Nasr al-Din, withdrew from the meeting in protest, objecting to setting deadlines or issuing mandates before reviewing the full US proposal — a move that exposed deep fractures within the cabinet.

Meanwhile, a source close to the military noted that the army might request an extension beyond the December deadline, depending on operational and political conditions. “This is not a mission that can be rushed,” the source added.

The US proposal, according to insiders, includes references to state sovereignty and border security — but little new in terms of enforcement mechanisms or regional guarantees.

Just hours after the cabinet meeting, an Israeli airstrike targeted a vehicle in the Bekaa Valley town of Brital, killing at least one individual, according to Lebanon’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center. The timing of the strike added urgency to the cabinet’s discussions and highlighted the precarious security environment.

A political adviser familiar with the discussions, speaking to Anbaa on condition of anonymity, said Iran remains committed to maintaining Hezbollah as a strategic card in its regional influence.

“Disengaging Hezbollah from the Iranian axis doesn’t mean joining another axis,” the adviser said. “Lebanon’s survival depends on neutrality — not alignment.”

The adviser also criticized what he called “the myth of deterrence,” pointing out that Hezbollah’s military posture since 2006 has failed to prevent escalation and only deepened Lebanon’s isolation.

“Weapons do not protect weapons,” he said. “Only the state can offer real security and legitimacy.”

Observers noted that Hezbollah’s room to maneuver is narrowing. According to Anbaa, attempts by the party to secure backing from President Aoun and Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil were unsuccessful. More strikingly, political figures once seen as sympathetic to Hezbollah — including northern MPs Faisal Karami and Tony Frangieh — voiced public support for disarmament and state authority.

During the cabinet meeting, small pro-Hezbollah demonstrations broke out in stronghold areas but were swiftly contained by the army and internal security forces — a development interpreted by some as a sign of the state reasserting control.

In a symbolic gesture, the government voted to rename the airport highway — formerly known as Hafez al-Assad Boulevard — after the late Lebanese artist and satirist Ziad Rahbani. The move was seen by many as an attempt to distance the country from the political legacy of the Syrian regime and embrace a more unifying cultural figure.

“This is more than a name change,” a senior official said. “It’s a recognition that Lebanon’s past must not dictate its future.”

Hezbollah’s hardline stance and the cabinet’s inability to issue a binding decision underscored Lebanon’s chronic paralysis. The disarmament debate — widely seen as essential to any meaningful state-building — now risks being kicked further down the road, even as the country remains mired in economic collapse, institutional dysfunction, and regional volatility.

“We cannot afford to wait,” said Prime Minster Salam. “The state must act — not only to reclaim its authority, but to protect the future of Lebanon itself.”