Mounting Pressure on Lebanon to Dismantle Hezbollah's Military and... Regional Wings

- Aoun: We opted for negotiations with Israel to salvage what remains of Lebanon

As Lebanon demonstrated its broad solidarity with Saudi Arabia and condemned the blatant attacks against it by the Houthis, through a phone call between President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun and the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the intensification of the confrontation on this front has become an additional pressure factor on the reality of the “Land of Cedars,” which is caught in a suspended standoff between Hezbollah and Israel, hanging by a “thin thread,” with fears that both sides may race to reignite it. Indicators, until proven otherwise, suggest Hezbollah’s preparations to resume its game of breaking internal balances, against an Iranian backdrop, with assassinations resurfacing amidst hundreds of kilograms of explosives and nails seized nine days ago in Dahr el-Biedar along with two Hezbollah members.

There is a prevailing belief in Beirut that the hysterical level of attacks launched by the Houthis against civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia, particularly airports—which constitute war crimes and a blatant violation of international law and covenants—places the Lebanese state under stricter external scrutiny regarding its performance concerning Hezbollah’s arsenal and its overall “twin” status with Iran’s other arms. This scrutiny applies not only in the context of its regional role as one of Tehran’s defensive lines and a means to alleviate military pressure on it when necessary, but also in terms of countering initial attempts to derail the train of dismantling its arsenal via the seized explosives shipment, whether intended to renew the war with Israel or to intimidate the interior, using a language reminiscent of the 2005–2013 era, particularly its horrific political assassinations.

From this, the official alertness in dealing with the explosives case, which is feared to be the “tip of the iceberg,” is understandable, given concerns that other quantities may have entered before the Dahr el-Biedar shipment. Most Lebanese political forces consider this development a catalyst to remove the file of arms restriction from the realm of stagnation and withdraw it from the equation linking it to the front with Israel and its withdrawal from the south. Instead, it should elevate the explicit consideration of old and new Lebanese principles governing the issue, which have become more urgent given the suspicion that Hezbollah is preparing for a gradual assault on the internal balances governing the paths of direct negotiations with Israel, the dismantling of its arsenal, or plunging the country into a deadly “holocaust.”

While the Lebanese state was attempting, on the negotiation table with Tel Aviv under US sponsorship, to manage the arms restriction file in a way that does not turn it into a card for Israel to delay its withdrawal—by securing a timeline for the occupation’s exit to push forward the tripartite framework agreement and the mechanism for experimental zones—the first comment from the US State Department, via its spokesperson, on the Lebanese army and Internal Security Forces seizing explosives being transported by Hezbollah was not trivial. The spokesperson stated, “Hezbollah’s weapons have brought only misery and destruction to Lebanon. This party remains an obstacle to peace.”

Welcoming “the government’s efforts to secure explosive materials and detain those responsible,” he said, “We urge the Lebanese government to formulate a plan for disarmament across all Lebanese territories, as stipulated in the framework of the Tripartite Mechanism.” This stance was seen as an explicit signal from Washington, dispelling ambiguity regarding what is required from Beirut to move the framework agreement out of its current stalemate, and affirming that arms restriction under this agreement entails withdrawal from all of Lebanon’s territory, not just south of the Litani River and the “security zone” controlled by Israel.

From this perspective, the Lebanese state’s attempt to demonstrate its seriousness in addressing the explosives issue serves to underscore its capacity and commitment to prevent Hezbollah from transferring and using weapons, thereby creating an entry point for managing the issue of their withdrawal in negotiations with Israel on the basis of reciprocity and phased implementation, anchored by a “Lebanese ladder” consisting of Prime Minister Salam’s August 2025 decisions and the subsequent approval of a phased plan that began in the area south of the Litani. This plan was supposed to be completed subsequently but remained dead on paper due to Hezbollah’s rejection and its instigation of last March’s war.

The Zahret al-Bider shipment represents, in this context, the first translation of what President Salam stated in November 2025 regarding “containing weapons,” pending the completion of the phases of the withdrawal plan, noting that “in the north of the Litani, the principle of containing weapons must be applied, meaning preventing their transfer and use.” However, there is a conviction, particularly in light of the American and Israeli positions, that the issue of dismantling Hezbollah’s arsenal will not be accepted as being governed by Hezbollah’s “consent” and the timing of its acceptance, especially given Tel Aviv’s view that the battlefield and its outcomes allow it to impose its conditions based on the “land for weapons” equation across all of Lebanon.

The Prime Minister continued to follow up on the explosives issue, having firmly stated that investigations would be completed to the end and that all those involved in the “criminal operation” would be held accountable, regardless of who they are, clearly linking the case to the assassinations.

In this context, Salam received the Commander of the Lebanese Army, Major General Rudolf Heikal. The meeting discussed the security situation in the country, particularly in the south, and monitored the deployment of the Lebanese Army and its missions in extending state authority over all its territories.

The “file of recently seized explosives” was also addressed, with President Salam commending the efforts of Lebanese armed forces that led to the seizure of an additional quantity of explosives in the Qasr-Hermel area (October 12). He stressed the necessity of continuing investigations to uncover all those involved and the entities behind smuggling operations, and referring them to the competent judiciary. He affirmed “his full support for the Lebanese Army in performing its duties, and the importance of enhancing its capabilities and enabling it to protect the borders, safeguard the security of Lebanese citizens, and extend state authority over all its territories.”

Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajar also commended the General Directorate of Internal Security Forces, praising “the efforts of the officers and personnel of the Zahret al-Bider checkpoint, who, thanks to their vigilance, professionalism, and seriousness in their work, managed last Monday (October 5) to seize a car containing explosive materials and detain two individuals on board.”

During his chairmanship of a meeting of the Central Internal Security Council, the Interior Minister stressed that “the importance of what has been uncovered is no less than the importance of completing the investigations to reveal all the circumstances of the case,” noting that “the Lebanese Army’s intelligence and the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces will take over expanding the investigation, upon request from the Distinguished Public Prosecution, with a view to uncovering all circumstances and holding accountable anyone proven to be involved, in accordance with the law.”

Al-Hajar pointed out that “elements at the Dahr al-Baidar checkpoint had suspected, last Monday, a gray Dodge Caravan due to its overloaded cargo, which necessitated a search.”

As a result of the search, a quantity of explosives was found inside the vehicle, leading to the arrest of the driver and the person accompanying him. They were handed over, along with the seized materials, to the Military Police, following an instruction from the competent judiciary.

In a related development, MTV sources reported that “military intelligence interrogated the two detainees in the case of the explosives shipment seized at the Dahr al-Baidar checkpoint,” noting that “no political party has intervened in the case of the detainees, no lawyer has been appointed for them, and they have only met with investigators.”

The sources revealed that “the wife of one of the detainees is of foreign nationality and her phone was used in the process of transporting the explosives,” and that the two detainees insist they do not know who handed them the shipment, identified as “Sajid,” nor who was supposed to receive it from them, identified as “Dhul-Fiqar.”

Meanwhile, Hezbollah intensified its efforts to embarrass the Lebanese state regarding its funding file by announcing today, Tuesday, the launch of its new shelter project, “Promise and Commitment,” aimed at families whose homes were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable. The project specifies assistance at $14,000 for housing units in Beirut and the Southern Suburb, and $12,000 for units outside these areas. It announced that the goal is “to assist families displaced from their primary residences who do not have alternative housing, by contributing to rental costs and purchasing furniture, similar to the program implemented in 2024,” adding that “bets on sanctions, blockades, and attempts to restrict aid access have not prevented the party from fulfilling its responsibilities.”

This announcement gained significance as it came days after Reuters published a report stating that Hezbollah received $200 million from Iran in September, a claim denied by the United States, which considered it implausible given the sanctions and blockade on Iran and the pressure on Hezbollah’s financial arteries.

As the Prime Minister of Qatar visits, accompanied by his Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, to Beirut tomorrow, Thursday, with meetings scheduled with senior officials on Friday, the visit is being viewed as highly significant given Doha’s role as a mediator on the “connected” Iran-Lebanon front. Meanwhile, President Aoun affirmed, “We chose the option of negotiations (with Israel) because war will not lead to a result,” stressing, “We made the decision to save what remains of Lebanon. The agreement we reached is not ideal, but it limited the expansion of Israeli attacks.” He added, “Strikes in the south continue, and we are trying, as much as possible, to mitigate them and achieve the ultimate and final goal I have announced and will continue to state: ending the state of hostility with Israel.”

He added: “The son of the South is exhausted and wants nothing more than to live in peace. From my position and responsibility here, I have two choices: either to sit back and watch, doing nothing, or to make a decision and bear its responsibility. I made the decision and proceeded with negotiations, which yielded results, though not the ideal outcome. The United States has now shown interest in the Lebanese file, but matters are certainly not over. Our goal is the Israeli withdrawal, the return of displaced persons, the release of prisoners, and reconstruction. We are not saying this will happen tomorrow, but we are moving forward step by step.” He asked: “Which is better? To maintain a state of war and allow the Israeli to move freely, or to take action that enables us to avoid disasters for the country? War will yield no results. It is better to sit and negotiate. As long as everyone agrees on the primary objective, how can I fail to pursue it? According to my authority, I will exercise that authority, even if some do not approve.”

He concluded: “Four days ago, Lebanon joined the IMEC Ports Club, which is the ports club for the Economic Corridor between India, the Middle East, and Europe, through the ports of Beirut and Tripoli. This is a positive development. Two days ago, US President Donald Trump also canceled all orders issued since 1985 that prohibited US flights from traveling to and from Lebanon. This comes in addition to the achievements of security agencies in combating terrorism and drugs, securing borders, and maintaining internal security in Lebanon.”

Aoun in a call with Prince Mohammed bin Salman: Lebanon stands in solidarity with the sister Kingdom and condemns attacks against it

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reiterated his condemnation of the attacks that targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and other civilian facilities and infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, affirming “Lebanon’s solidarity, as president and people, with the sister Kingdom, as leadership and people,” and considering that “these attacks pose a threat to the security and stability of the Kingdom and to the security and stability of the region.”

This stance came during a call between Aoun and Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during which he was briefed on the situation in the Kingdom following the attacks on King Khalid Airport and other civilian facilities and infrastructure.

The President of the Republic emphasized to Prince Mohammed bin Salman “the necessity of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom, and refraining from targeting its civilian and vital facilities,” expressing his condolences to the victims of the attacks and wishing the wounded a speedy recovery.

US Ambassador Michel Aissa visited the Syrian Embassy in Beirut, where he met with the Chargé d’Affaires of the Syrian Embassy in Lebanon, Eyad Al-Hazza.