Hezbollah senior official Mahmoud Qmati delivered a speech Tuesday in which he firmly rejected the Lebanese government's desire for the terror organization's disarmament. "We are committed to our weapons, we are committed to our resistance," Qmati declared. He also referenced a statement by assassinated Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, warning that "whoever extends their hand to touch the weapons, their hand will be cut off."
On Tuesday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced that 2025 would be the year when weapons would be concentrated exclusively in state hands. He maintained that Hezbollah's disarmament "will be done through dialogue" and emphasized his commitment to keeping the country away from civil war. According to Aoun, the relationship with the organization is "good and direct," and "the results are evident on the ground." He further noted that army forces are closing tunnels and confiscating and destroying Hezbollah ammunition depots. Aoun added that from his perspective, Hezbollah members would be integrated into the Lebanese army on an individual basis, following the model used with militias in the 1990s.
Meanwhile, diplomatic sources told the Lebanese newspaper Ad-Diyar, which is closely aligned with Hezbollah, that the weapons issue "is being handled without haste" and without specific timetables. According to these sources, behind the scenes, those who met with US Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus heard clear warnings from the United States. These messages included threats of severe sanctions against any entity in Lebanon perceived to be delaying the necessary reforms in the country.
