Beirut: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced that the initial phase of the Lebanese army's strategy to restrict weapons to state control south of the Litani River is nearing completion. This marks a significant step forward as Lebanon prepares to advance to the subsequent phase of the plan.
According to Anadolu Agency, Salam's statement came during a meeting in Beirut with Simon Karam, the head of the Lebanese delegation to the ceasefire monitoring committee with Israel. Karam provided insights on the committee's latest discussions and outcomes. Salam emphasized that Lebanon is poised to transition to the second phase of the plan, targeting areas north of the Litani River, based on the strategy devised by the Lebanese army under government directives.
Salam further underscored the importance of supporting the Lebanese army to enable it to fulfill its national duties effectively. Friday saw a meeting in Naqoura involving Lebanese, Israeli, and US officials, aiming to prevent a resurgence of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. This meeting followed an escalating pattern of Israeli ceasefire violations with Hezbollah, ongoing since November 2024.
In August, the Lebanese government approved a comprehensive plan to consolidate all weapons, including those held by Hezbollah, under state jurisdiction. The army's five-phase plan to execute this decision was endorsed in September, although specific timelines were not set. The current phase focuses on disarming Hezbollah south of the Litani River by the year's end. Nonetheless, Hezbollah has consistently refused to disarm, demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory first.
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon followed over a year of cross-border hostilities linked to the Gaza conflict, which resulted in over 4,000 fatalities and 17,000 injuries. Although Israeli forces were expected to withdraw from southern Lebanon by January, they have only partially retreated, maintaining a presence at five border outposts.