Lebanese Army Set to Take Full Control of All Weapons

(MENAFN) Lebanon’s military will deliver a strategic blueprint to the government next week that lays the foundation for full state control over all weapons, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced Tuesday.

“The course of exclusive state authority over weapons, the extension of its power, and its monopoly over decisions of war and peace has begun, and there is no turning back,” Salam declared during a meeting with US envoy Tom Barrack and his delegation.

According to a statement from Salam’s office, the talks centered on Lebanon’s internal challenges and the implications of the US team’s broader regional visit.

Salam expressed gratitude for continued US backing of the Lebanese Armed Forces and appealed for enhanced financial and military assistance, calling the military a stabilizing force in an increasingly fragile nation.

He also called on the international community—especially top donor states—to make firm pledges ahead of Lebanon’s forthcoming global summit focused on reconstruction and economic revival.

The visiting US delegation commended Beirut’s steps toward centralizing arms under state control and pushing forward financial and banking reforms, emphasizing that continued progress is vital “for the benefit of all Lebanese.”

On August 5, Lebanon’s Cabinet approved a sweeping directive to unify all weaponry under the government’s authority. The army was instructed to present an implementation plan by the end of August and to complete the process before the close of 2025. The move sparked backlash from Hezbollah, which denounced the decision as a “grave sin.”

Tensions remain high in the region. Israel launched a military campaign inside Lebanon on October 8, 2023, escalating into a full-fledged war by September 2024. The conflict has resulted in over 4,000 deaths and some 17,000 injuries.

Though a ceasefire was brokered in November, Israeli forces have continued frequent strikes in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah operations.

Per the terms of the truce, Israel was to fully pull back from southern Lebanon by January 26. However, that deadline was pushed to February 18 after Tel Aviv refused full compliance. Israeli forces still occupy five positions along the shared border.

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