SAEDNEWS: Lebanese media have disclosed a classified five-phase plan by the Lebanese Army aimed at placing all weapons under state control, with conditions tied to Israeli withdrawal.
According to Lebanon’s al-Akhbar newspaper, ministerial sources revealed that the Lebanese Army has prepared a secret plan for disarming Hezbollah and consolidating weapons solely under state authority.
The plan, which sets out five phases but no fixed timeline, begins with full army deployment south of the Litani River, then expands to the area between the Litani and Awali Rivers, moves to Beirut and its suburbs, and then to the Bekaa Valley. The fifth stage will be the government's monopoly on weapons throughout Lebanon.
Sources said the plan accounts for the army’s operational capabilities as well as obstacles and challenges. The army would decide independently how to operate in each region and submit monthly performance reports to the government.
The proposal conditions nationwide army deployment on the cessation of Israeli aggression and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied positions.
The plan also calls for a strengthened military presence and checkpoints to block weapons transfers or smuggling, tighter control over the Lebanon–Syria border, closure of illegal crossings, in addition to completing the disarmament of Palestinian refugee camps.
According to the report, the army’s framework has eased political divisions. Some sources said the statement issued was drafted the night before by Army Commander Joseph Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also approving it.
