(MENAFN) A Lebanese official revealed on Saturday that a comprehensive military strategy aiming to restrict weapons exclusively to the control of the state is structured into five distinct stages.

“There is a broad national consensus on the necessity of placing all arms under state authority,” stated Minister of the Displaced Kamal Chehadeh during a televised conversation with a Saudi news outlet.

The Lebanese administration gave the green light on Friday to the military’s framework for ensuring exclusive state control over arms. However, both the details of the strategy and the discussions surrounding it remain classified.

Chehadeh mentioned that the initiative, titled “Shield of the Nation,” is organized into five interconnected stages.

According to him, the initial stage will focus on the territory located south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon.

The subsequent phase will extend to the region south of the Awali River.

The Awali River is situated to the north of Sidon, approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Litani River, which itself stretches 29 kilometers from the boundary with Israel.

While Chehadeh refrained from elaborating on the remaining phases of the plan, he noted that the operation will involve practical actions on the ground, including security raids in specific regions.

“A clear timetable has been set for the first stage, with all of the army’s resources currently focused on south of the Litani,” he explained.

“Lebanon’s military needs have been communicated to allied countries, with Washington increasing its support for the army.”

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