Lebanon president says disarming Hezbollah ‘delicate’ as two dead in strikes on south

BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Sunday that disarming the Iran-backed Hezbollah group was a “delicate” matter whose implementation required the right circumstances, warning that forcing the issue could lead the country to ruin.

His remarks came as Lebanon’s health ministry said two people were killed in Israeli strikes in the country’s south, the latest such raids despite a ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese group.

Restricting the bearing of arms to the state is “a sensitive, delicate issue that is fundamental to preserving civil peace” and requires due “consideration and responsibility”, Aoun told reporters.

“We will implement” a state monopoly on bearing arms “but we have to wait for the circumstances” to allow this, he said, adding that “nobody is speaking to me about timing or pressure”.

“Any controversial domestic issue in Lebanon can only be approached through conciliatory, non-confrontational dialogue and communication. If not, we will lead Lebanon to ruin,” he added.

Hezbollah, long a dominant force in Lebanon, was left weakened by more than a year of hostilities with Israel, sparked by the Gaza war, including an Israeli ground incursion and two months of heavy bombardment that decimated the group’s leadership.

On Friday, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said the group “will not let anyone disarm” it, as Washington presses Beirut to compel the movement to hand over its weapons.

Lebanon says two dead in strikes as Israel says killed Hezbollah fighter

Qassem said his group was ready for dialogue on a “defence strategy”, “but not under the pressure of occupation” by Israel.

Israel has continued to conduct regular strikes in Lebanon despite a November 27 ceasefire and still holds five positions in south Lebanon that it deems “strategic”.

Army seizes rockets

On Sunday, Lebanon’s health ministry said an “Israeli enemy strike on a vehicle in Kaouthariyet al-Saiyad”, located inland between the southern cities of Sidon and Tyre, killed “one person” and wounded two others.

It later said a separate “Israeli enemy” strike “on a house in Hula”, near the border, killed one person.

The Israeli military did not immediately release any official statement on the strikes.

Qassem’s comments came hours after another senior Hezbollah official said the group would refuse to discuss handing over its weapons until Israel withdrew completely from south Lebanon.

US deputy special envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus this month said disarming Hezbollah should happen “as soon as possible”.

Under the truce, Hezbollah was to pull its fighters north of Lebanon’s Litani River and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south, while Israel was to withdraw all its forces.

Lebanon’s army has been deploying as Israeli troops have withdrawn and has also been dismantling any Hezbollah military infrastructure.

The army said on Sunday that its forces had confiscated rockets and launchers in south Lebanon’s Sidon-Zahrani area and detained a number of people over a plan to fire them towards Israeli-held territory, without saying if those detained were affiliated with any group.

On Wednesday, the army said it had arrested several people suspected of firing rockets at Israel from Lebanon last month, with a security official telling AFP that three members of the Palestinian group Hamas were among those held.