Lebanon’s military said on Monday that it has assumed security control of the country’s south, a region long dominated by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, following a November 2024 ceasefire that ended a year-long war with Israel. The move covers areas south of the Litani River—about 30km (20 miles) from the Israeli border—and was described by the army as an “effective and tangible” first-phase achievement as it begins removing non-state weapons. Officials warned, however, that unexploded ordnance and tunnels remain to be cleared and that further phases will be needed. The announcement comes amid international pressure, funding shortfalls and continuing disputes with Israel over alleged militant activity.
Key Takeaways
- The Lebanese army announced it had taken over security south of the Litani River, the first phase of a government plan to remove non-state weapons. The area is about 30km (20 miles) from the Israel border.
- The ceasefire that ended the 2024 war was signed in November 2024; the army set a year-end deadline for this first phase and said its objective was met in an “effective and tangible way.”
- The army still needs to clear unexploded ordnance and tunnels; no timeline was provided for the next phase between the Litani and the Awali rivers, which includes Sidon.
- Israel’s prime ministerial office called the development “an encouraging beginning” but said it fell short, citing concerns that Hezbollah may be rearming with Iranian support.
- Unifil (the UN peacekeeping force) reported no clear sign that Hezbollah is rebuilding infrastructure in the areas it monitors, and Lebanese soldiers have mostly dismantled infrastructure without facing resistance.
- The Lebanese army has flagged insufficient funding and equipment as constraints; tens of thousands in the south remain displaced and reconstruction aid is tied to progress on disarmament.
- Hezbollah says it complied with the ceasefire in the south but refuses to disarm north of the Litani; it retains strong positions in the eastern Bekaa valley and Beirut’s Dahieh suburb.
Background
The November 2024 ceasefire ended a violent, year-long confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah that left much of southern Lebanon destroyed and tens of thousands displaced. That conflict reinforced long-standing international calls—especially from the United States—for Lebanon to neutralize armed non-state actors, with disarmament a precondition for large-scale reconstruction aid. Lebanon’s fragile political balance complicates any effort to forcefully disarm Hezbollah, which is simultaneously a potent militia, a political party with parliamentary representation, and a provider of social services in Shia communities.
Since the ceasefire, Beirut has advanced a government-backed plan that envisages sequential security sweeps starting south of the Litani River. The Lebanese army set a year-end target for the initial phase and has publicly framed its operations as an assertion of state authority rather than a direct confrontation with Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Israel has continued near-daily strikes it attributes to Hezbollah-linked activity and still occupies at least five positions inside southern Lebanon, creating friction over interpretation and implementation of the ceasefire terms.
Main Event
The army reported that troops have cleared designated zones south of the Litani of non-state weapons and taken over security posts previously under militia influence. Military engineers are now focusing on locating and neutralizing unexploded ordnance and mapping tunnel networks, tasks army statements say will require time and resources. In several localities, soldiers dismantled infrastructure that had been associated with armed groups; those operations were reportedly conducted without armed clashes with Hezbollah fighters in the zone.
Lebanon’s government framed the development as a move to restore sovereignty and to unlock reconstruction funding, while the army emphasized that this is only a first step. Lebanese officials said the next phase will concentrate on the strip between the Litani and the Awali rivers, which includes the port city of Sidon, but offered no firm timetable. The army’s capability to sustain further operations is constrained by chronic budget shortfalls and limited equipment, officials say.
Hezbollah maintains that it complied with the ceasefire in the south by withdrawing fighters from certain areas, but it has publicly resisted calls to disarm in regions north of the Litani and in strongholds such as the Bekaa valley and Dahieh. President Joseph Aoun has warned against using force to confront Hezbollah, saying it risks deepening sectarian divisions. On the international front, Israel’s government welcomed the army’s moves but said they are insufficient given alleged ongoing rearmament efforts supported by Iran.
Analysis & Implications
The army’s assertion of control south of the Litani is politically significant: it allows the Lebanese state to claim partial restoration of authority in a region where state institutions have been weak for decades. That symbolic gain may be enough to satisfy some international donors and to begin conditional reconstruction programs. Yet symbol and capability are distinct—clearing ordnance, securing supply lines, and holding contested areas require sustained funding and operational capacity that Lebanon’s cash-strapped military currently lacks.
Strategically, the move recalibrates the local balance without resolving the broader military and political question of Hezbollah’s arsenal. Hezbollah’s dual role as an armed group and a political-social actor complicates disarmament: forcible measures risk provoking domestic unrest or a renewed cycle of violence, while incomplete disarmament leaves a security vacuum and continued Israeli interdictions. International actors, notably the US and Israel, will likely press for accelerated results, but external pressure alone cannot substitute for a Lebanese political consensus.
Regionally, any perception that Hezbollah is being weakened could alter deterrence calculations in Beirut and in Israel. If the army consolidates security and reconstruction aid follows, that could undercut parts of Hezbollah’s local legitimacy derived from governance and relief services. Conversely, visible failures or delays in implementation could empower the group’s narrative about the state’s incapacity and complicate Lebanon’s internal reconciliation dynamics.
Comparison & Data
| Zone | Phase Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| South of the Litani | Phase 1: Army control claimed | Cleared of non-state weapons; ordnance and tunnels remain |
| Between Litani and Awali | Planned (next) | Includes Sidon; no timeline announced |
| Bekaa valley & Dahieh | Hezbollah retains control | Group opposes disarmament north of the Litani |
The table summarizes current territorial status as described by Lebanese and international sources. Quantities such as the 30km (20 miles) distance from the Litani to the Israeli border and the presence of at least five Israeli positions in southern Lebanon are established facts referenced in official and media accounts. The data show progress in one corridor but underscore the geographic limits of the army’s reach and the political obstacles to a nationwide disarmament.
Reactions & Quotes
Israeli and US officials immediately framed the announcement through a security lens, urging deeper and verifiable disarmament of Hezbollah across Lebanon. Lebanese political leaders and troops emphasized state sovereignty and caution about forcing rapid change that could spark domestic upheaval.
“An encouraging beginning, but far from sufficient given evidence of rearmament and outside support.”
Office of the Israeli Prime Minister (official statement)
The Israeli prime minister’s office welcomed the army’s reported gains but stressed they fall short of dismantling what it describes as Hezbollah’s military infrastructure. Israeli officials have called for transparent verification and continued pressure on Tehran’s support networks.
“Use of force risks sectarian escalation; we must avoid measures that tear Lebanon apart.”
President Joseph Aoun (office statement)
President Aoun cautioned against a heavy-handed approach that could inflame domestic tensions, reflecting concerns among some Lebanese leaders that military moves could trigger wider conflict. Lebanese military communiqués focused on technical tasks—ordnance disposal and tunnel clearance—rather than on political confrontation.
“We have complied with the ceasefire in the south and will not disarm north of the Litani.”
Hezbollah representative (public statement)
Hezbollah reiterates its conditional compliance with the ceasefire and makes clear limits to any disarmament it would accept. The group’s simultaneous political and social roles complicate straightforward security solutions.
Unconfirmed
- Reports that US President Donald Trump formally authorized an intensification of Israeli military action against Hezbollah are reported by Israeli media but lack public confirmation from US or Israeli official channels.
- Israeli claims that Hezbollah is actively rebuilding military infrastructure in areas monitored by Unifil remain unproven; Unifil says it has not observed clear signs of reconstruction in its patrol zones.
Bottom Line
The Lebanese army’s claim to have taken security control south of the Litani is a notable, if partial, step toward reasserting state authority in a region long influenced by Hezbollah. It may ease conditions for donor engagement and initial reconstruction financing, but major operational, political and fiscal challenges remain before a comprehensive disarmament can be realized.
For now, the development reshuffles local dynamics without resolving the central dilemma: how to remove armed capacity from a powerful group that is also woven into Lebanon’s political system and social services. The implementation of subsequent phases, transparent verification mechanisms and steady international support will determine whether this beginning produces durable change or a temporary shift in control.