The Lebanese government says it will take its forces at least four months to complete the second phase of plans to dismantle Hezbollah’s arsenal in the south of the country.
Information Minister Paul Mokos’ announcement on Monday came amid growing pressure from the United States and Israel. Hezbollah disarmsincluding Israel’s almost daily attacks on Lebanon.
The bombing came despite Israel agreeing to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in 2024 to end more than a year of cross-border hostilities with Hezbollah.
The conflict has severely weakened the Lebanese armed group and much of its leadership has been killed.
Under the ceasefire, the Lebanese government committed to dismantling Hezbollah’s arsenals and tasked its military with developing a plan.
The military said last month that Complete the first stage Part of a five-phase plan covering the area between the Litani River and the country’s southern border with Israel.
The second phase involves the area between the Litani and Awali rivers, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
Lebanese Information Minister Morkos said at a press conference after the cabinet meeting that the government “took note of the statements made by the army leadership regarding the second phase of the plan.”
“The period is four months and can be extended based on existing capabilities, Israeli attacks and ground obstacles,” he said.
Hezbollah views disarmament efforts as a U.S.-Israeli plan and has rejected calls to hand over weapons north of the Litani River, saying it understands the ceasefire “applies only south of the waterway.”
“The Lebanese government’s focus on disarmament is a grave sin because this issue serves Israel’s aggressive goals,” Hezbollah Chairman Naeem Qasim said ahead of Monday’s cabinet meeting.
“Stop all actions to restrict weapons,” he added in a televised address, saying the government’s “continuous concessions” were part of the reason for Israel’s continued attacks.
Qasim’s comments came as the Israeli military launched new attacks in southern Lebanon, targeting a bus in the town of Hanin and a car in the town of Talusa, killing at least two people.
The Israeli military confirmed the attack on Talusa, saying it targeted a Hezbollah fighter trying to rebuild the group’s infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
Israel has previously criticized the Lebanese military for not making enough progress in disarming Hezbollah.
In addition to regular attacks, it continues to occupy five areas within Lebanon, hindering reconstruction of destroyed border villages and preventing tens of thousands of displaced people from returning home.
According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli forces have killed more than 370 people since the ceasefire, while the United Nations says Israel has launched more than 10,000 air and ground attacks in the year since it agreed to cease hostilities.
lebanon File a complaint He met with the United Nations last month over repeated Israeli violations, urging the UN Security Council to urge Israel to cease attacks and fully withdraw its troops from the country.
The complaint alleges that Israel violated Lebanese sovereignty at least 2,036 times in the last three months of 2025 alone.
