Lebanon’s army has taken a significant step towards reasserting state authority, announcing it has completed the first phase of a plan to bring all weapons under government control.
In a statement released on Thursday via the National News Agency, the Lebanese Armed Forces said the initial phase focused on expanding its presence on the ground, securing strategic locations and establishing operational control across much of the South Litani area.
The army said it has now asserted control over all territories south of the Litani River, with the exception of areas that remain under Israeli occupation.
Military leaders stressed that the objective is clear: to ensure that security across Lebanon rests exclusively with the state. The army said it is working in close coordination with other national security agencies to prevent the southern border from being used for military activity and to stabilise the region in the long term.
Efforts are continuing to clear unexploded ordnance, dismantle tunnels and enforce measures designed to stop armed groups from reconstituting their capabilities, the statement said.
However, the army acknowledged that its ability to fully centralise weapons remains constrained by ongoing Israeli strikes and the continued occupation of certain Lebanese positions, which it described as a major obstacle to extending state authority.
The Lebanese Armed Forces also reaffirmed their cooperation with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the ceasefire monitoring mechanism, saying the coordination plays a vital role in maintaining calm in the South Litani sector.
The announcement underscores the army’s stated commitment to stability at a time of heightened regional tensions and renewed scrutiny over the presence of non-state armed groups operating within Lebanon’s borders.
