The first phase of a plan to disarm Hezbollah in southern Lebanon has been completed, the country's army said Thursday.
Under heavy U.S. pressure and amid fears of expanded Israeli strikes, Lebanon has committed to disarming the Iran-backed armed group, which was badly weakened after more than a year of hostilities, including two months of all-out war that ended with a November 2024 cease-fire.
Despite the truce, Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah sites and operatives and has maintained troops in five south Lebanon areas it deems strategic, accusing the group of rearming.
Hezbollah has refused to surrender its weapons.
In a statement, Lebanon's army said it had "achieved the objectives of the first phase" of its plan, covering the area south of the Litani River – approximately 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border – with the intention of extending it to the rest of the country.
It noted "the exception of territory and positions still occupied by Israel" near the border.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, however, said in a statement that the cease-fire "states clearly, Hezbollah must be fully disarmed."
"Efforts made toward this end by the Lebanese government and the Lebanese armed forces are an encouraging beginning, but they are far from sufficient, as evidenced by Hezbollah's efforts to rearm and rebuild its terror infrastructure with Iranian support," it added.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Lebanon on Thursday, saying the "primary objective" of his two-day trip was to consult with Lebanese officials about the "serious challenges and threats" facing the region "by the Zionist regime," referring to Israel.
Under the cease-fire, Hezbollah was to withdraw its forces north of the Litani River and have its military infrastructure dismantled in the evacuated areas.
Lebanon's army said it would continue operations south of the Litani to "complete the disposal of unexploded ordnance" and search for tunnels dug by Hezbollah, taking measures to "permanently prevent armed groups from rebuilding their capabilities."
Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal is to brief the government later Thursday on the military's progress.
The second phase of the army's plan covers the rest of the country's south up to the Awali River, near the coastal city of Sidon.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, in a statement, expressed "full support" for his army's announcement.
The deployment in the south aims to cement the state's monopoly on bearing weapons and its responsibility for decisions of war and peace, "and to prevent the use of Lebanese territory as a launchpad for any hostilities," Aoun said in the statement.
He said "lasting stability" required addressing outstanding issues, including Israel's ongoing troop presence and attacks.
He urged the international community to assist in implementing the cease-fire deal and hasten "support for the capabilities of the Lebanese army."
The cease-fire was based on a 2006 United Nations Security Council resolution that calls for the disarmament of all non-state armed groups.
More than 350 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since the cease-fire, according to an AFP tally of Health Ministry reports.
