Assaults from the air increase tensions as Lebanon faces calls to disarm militias - As-salamu alaykum
As-salamu alaykum - The Israeli air force conducted several air raids on Iqlim Al-Tuffah in southern Lebanon on Monday, while drones and reconnaissance planes entered Lebanese airspace at low altitude over Beirut, nearby suburbs, and as far as the Bekaa Valley. The attacks came as renewed international pressure mounted on Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah.
Israeli jets struck areas near the towns of Jarmaq and Aishiyeh with multiple raids in the Jezzine district. An Israeli military spokesperson said they targeted “terrorist sites” and infrastructure tied to Hezbollah that they say is being rebuilt across Lebanon in violation of understandings between the two countries. The spokesperson added that the Israeli army will keep acting to remove threats and protect Israel.
This escalation happens amid growing calls for the Lebanese state to enforce its monopoly on weapons. President Michel Aoun finished consultations with officials about the plan he announced last week - parallel to the Gaza deal - to begin indirect talks with Israel. He met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who often mediates between Hezbollah and outside parties.
A government source told reporters that Lebanon is trying to break the current deadlock and that claims the state is blocking disarmament are incorrect. The source said the Lebanese Army has a plan and reports each month on its actions south of the Litani River to the Council of Ministers, and will continue doing so through the end of the year. The source added that the plan was approved by the American side and the Mechanism Committee.
On the question of covering all of Lebanon before year’s end, the source noted Lebanon now has about 9,300 soldiers south of the Litani and that increasing that number needs resources the army does not yet have. The army has specific needs and is requesting assistance, which all parties are aware of. The source also warned that UNIFIL’s planned withdrawal by the end of next year adds to the challenge, and that army operations south of the Litani are coordinated with UNIFIL.
The official stressed that the idea of negotiating with Israel exists on the Lebanese side and is accepted by all parties, including Hezbollah, since the choice is between war and diplomacy. The exact format of talks will be decided later.
President Aoun said last week the region is moving toward negotiations aimed at peace and stability, and that Lebanon cannot be left out of efforts to solve the region’s crises because ongoing war, destruction, killing, and displacement are unbearable. He reminded that Lebanon previously reached agreements with Israel under US and UN auspices, like the maritime border deal announced from UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, and asked why a similar process couldn’t resolve remaining issues now.
US envoy Thomas Barak warned that if Beirut does not act on disarmament, Hezbollah’s military wing could face a major confrontation with Israel at a time when Israel is strong and Hezbollah is relatively weak. He argued that normalising ties and stabilising borders should form a northern security framework that includes disarming militias within Lebanon and starting security talks with Israel. Barak also said Tehran continues to finance Hezbollah despite sanctions and that the Lebanese Armed Forces lack the funds and authority to carry out their missions.
He added that regional partners may invest in Lebanon if the state regains sole control of force through the Lebanese Army, but if Beirut keeps hesitating Israel may act alone with serious consequences. Barak warned that a heavy Israeli attack that diminishes Hezbollah’s power could prompt Hezbollah to try to delay parliamentary elections next May to rebuild, which would risk deepening internal chaos and sectarian mistrust and could undermine public confidence in the state.
Separately, the Grand Mufti of Lebanon, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, met with the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Bukhari, at Dar Al-Fatwa. Their offices said the meeting stressed the importance of Lebanon’s stability and security as part of Arab security and called for the state to assume full national responsibilities. They reaffirmed support for the Lebanese Army and other security forces and urged extending state authority across all territory, backing the army’s role in implementing government decisions on the monopoly of arms and state sovereignty.
Both sides also encouraged the government to keep pursuing economic and institutional reforms and balanced diplomacy to restore trust and attract international support.
May Allah protect the innocent and grant wisdom to leaders so that Lebanon and the wider region may find a peaceful, just solution.
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