Lebanon Struggles to Disarm Hezbollah Amid Turmoil
Efforts to disarm Hezbollah are testing the limits of Lebanon’s fragile political order, as an embattled government seeks to assert sovereign authority amid rising regional instability and domestic political fractures. According to “The Disarming of Hezbollah Tests Fragile Government in Lebanon,” published by Defense News, recent initiatives aimed at curtailing the militant group’s military capabilities have reignited tensions between rival political factions and exposed vulnerabilities in Lebanon’s already weakened state institutions.
The disarmament talks, while largely symbolic in concrete outcomes so far, reflect growing pressure from international allies and factions within Lebanon who argue that Hezbollah’s autonomous arsenal undermines the country’s sovereignty and risks entangling the nation in broader regional conflicts. Prime Minister Nadim Khalil, whose government formed less than a year ago after a prolonged political stalemate, now faces one of his administration’s most arduous challenges: balancing domestic opposition, maintaining delicate sectarian power-sharing agreements, and reinforcing Lebanon’s commitment to international resolutions like United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for weapons to be under the control of the state.
Despite being a dominant political force with substantial parliamentary representation, Hezbollah remains designated as a terrorist organization by several Western nations. Its paramilitary capabilities far exceed those of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), giving the group de facto control over certain territories and enabling it to operate independently of state oversight, particularly along the southern border with Israel. That operational autonomy has long been a source of tension within Lebanon and with foreign partners, especially in the wake of Hamas’s actions in Gaza and subsequent Israeli military campaigns that threaten to spill outward.
Defense News highlights that recent skirmishes on the Lebanon-Israel border have intensified scrutiny over Hezbollah’s role, fueling concerns that the country could be dragged into another conflict that it is ill-prepared to confront. International mediators, including representatives from the United Nations and the United States, have quietly supported the dialogue surrounding disarmament, viewing it as a step toward regional deconfliction, though few expect rapid progress.
Within Lebanon, however, the disarmament debate is deeply polarizing. Hezbollah’s leadership has categorically rejected any unilateral move to hand over weapons, arguing that disarmament would leave the country vulnerable to Israeli aggression. The group and its allies within the Lebanese political system have instead proposed a national defense strategy that integrates Hezbollah’s arsenal under broader government oversight—a plan critics say only reinforces the militia’s entrenched military dominance.
Analysts note that the issue strikes at the heart of Lebanon’s post-civil war political architecture, which has long relied on compromise and ambiguity surrounding armed non-state actors. Any disruption to that delicate balance could deepen sectarian divisions and threaten the coherence of the central government. Moreover, with Lebanon still reeling from an economic collapse and the aftermath of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, the government’s capacity to enforce sweeping security reforms remains limited.
The Defense News article underscores that while the debate on Hezbollah’s arms is not new, the current geopolitical climate—from the Israel-Gaza war to growing Iranian influence and waning Western patience—has infused the subject with new urgency. The path forward remains uncertain, as Lebanese officials walk a tightrope between reformist ambition and political survival.
Observers say the ultimate success of any disarmament effort depends not only on internal consensus but on sustained international engagement, security sector investment, and a region-wide recalibration of power dynamics. Until then, Lebanon’s leaders are left to navigate a minefield of competing interests with few options and narrowing room for maneuver.
