Lebanon02 March, 20263 min read
Lebanon Bans Hezbollah's Military Activities, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam Calls Them Illegal
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam declared Hezbollah's military and security activities illegal and banned them Ban responded to Hezbollah attacks on Israel that risk dragging Lebanon into wider war
6 outlets told this the same way.
Lebanon cabinet ban on Hezbollah
Lebanon's new cabinet, led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, formally announced a government decision to ban Hezbollah's military and security activities and to limit the group to political work. Multiple outlets report the ban followed cross-border strikes. The Jerusalem Post says the cabinet "has announced a ban on Hezbollah's military and security activities and demanded the group surrender its weapons and confine itself to political work."
“Lebanon’s new cabinet, led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, has announced a ban on Hezbollah’s military and security activities and demanded the group surrender its weapons and confine itself to political work.”
Al-Jazeera Net describes the move as a decision "to ban Hezbollah's military and security activities and limit the group to political work." The Washington Examiner similarly reports the government "would ban Hezbollah from conducting 'military activities,' restricting the group to the 'political sphere,' after Hezbollah launched airstrikes on Israel."
Salam on Hezbollah actions
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam publicly denounced Hezbollah’s armed actions. The Washington Examiner reports Salam called Hezbollah’s actions 'illegal,' rejected military operations from Lebanese territory outside state authority, vowed to stop those responsible, and sought to cease hostilities and resume negotiations.
Armenia News likewise reports Salam said Hezbollah’s armed activities are 'illegal,' urged security forces to 'prevent any attacks carried out from Lebanese territory,' and affirmed the government’s commitment to a ceasefire and to resuming negotiations. Al-Jazeera Net reports the government 'did not label Hezbollah illegal but separated its political and military wings,' and highlights a divergence in whether the government applied the 'illegal' label.
Weapons ban enforcement
The government has ordered security agencies and the army to enforce the ban and to implement an earlier plan to confine weapons north of the Litani River. Independent verification of disarmament and enforcement remains unclear. The Jerusalem Post reports the cabinet "instructed the army and security services to prevent launches, arrest violators, and implement a February 16 plan to confine weapons north of the Litani River."
“The government instructed the army and security services to prevent launches, arrest violators, and implement a February 16 plan to confine weapons north of the Litani River, while claiming progress in pressuring Hezbollah south of the river.”
Al-Jazeera Net says it "tasked security agencies with enforcing the ban, and asked the army to implement its plan to confine weapons north of the Litani River." The Jerusalem Post also warns that "Beirut has so far failed to disarm Hezbollah, verification of its claims is unclear (including how many weapons, if any, have been collected), and the government will need to demonstrate it can enforce the ban."
Lebanon reactions and challenges
Reactions inside Lebanon are divided, and observers warn of steep practical and political hurdles to implementation.
Al-Jazeera Net reports that responses are split—some praise the decision as historic and necessary while critics call it effectively 'a declaration of war'—and quotes researcher Salim Zkhour saying international and regional diplomatic support, particularly from the U.S. and Gulf states, will be essential but implementation faces major domestic and practical challenges.
The Jerusalem Post reports Lebanon’s military chief met U.S. Central Command and that 'the government has received CENTCOM praise in the past,' underscoring the appeal to external backing amid domestic friction.
Cross-border violence summary
Sources link Hezbollah’s strikes on Israel to broader regional attacks and to U.S.-Israeli operations in Iran, and report significant Israeli retaliatory strikes that caused civilian deaths. The Jerusalem Post says the moves came after Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel and that the article says the attack was in response to the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader. The Washington Examiner reports the strikes came in retaliation for joint U.S.-Israeli attacks in Iran over the weekend — dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury' — and says the piece claims those attacks killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and prompted wider retaliatory strikes across the Gulf.
“The moves came after Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel — an attack the article says was in response to the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader (a claim presented by the report) — and Salam condemned the strikes as a violation of cabinet decisions and of Lebanon’s sole right to decide on war and peace.”
The Washington Examiner reports that Israel responded to Hezbollah’s morning attack with strikes in southern Lebanon, and that state media reported at least 31 civilians killed. Al-Jazeera Net says Israel’s strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, southern Lebanon and the Bekaa, and that those strikes killed dozens.