A US envoy, Thomas Barrack, met Lebanese officials in Beirut on Monday to discuss a plan aimed at fully disarming Hezbollah within four months. This comes as Israel escalated air strikes and launched a cross-border ground assault against the group.
Lebanese officials see Israel’s recent military actions as an effort to increase pressure on Hezbollah. The group’s leader, Naim Qassem, said in a recent speech that Hezbollah still needs its weapons to defend Lebanon from Israeli threats.
Hezbollah suffered heavy losses in last year’s war with Israel, which destroyed much of its leadership and displaced tens of thousands of its supporters. Since then, the group has faced demands to give up its weapons but remains cautious about full disarmament.
Barrack’s proposal links Hezbollah’s disarmament to Israel withdrawing troops from occupied posts in southern Lebanon and stopping its air strikes. Lebanon has formed a committee to respond to this offer, while Hezbollah is preparing its own feedback through its political allies.
Sources say Hezbollah refuses to discuss further disarmament unless Israeli troops fully leave Lebanon and guarantees are made that Israel will halt attacks on the group. Previously, Hezbollah handed over some weapons depots to the Lebanese army as part of last year’s truce.
The truce also calls for Israel to withdraw its troops, but Hezbollah insists that the ongoing Israeli military presence in at least five posts in southern Lebanon violates the agreement. The situation remains tense as negotiations continue amid rising conflict.