Securing the Litani: Lebanese Army outlines weapons control achievements and next steps

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

On Monday, the Lebanese Cabinet session at Baabda Palace is scheduled to include a presentation by the Army command on its monthly report regarding the weapons control plan in Lebanese regions.

The Army chief will present the report on the plan’s implementation south of the Litani River and outline the approach for the northern Litani, following his recent visit to the United States and ahead of the upcoming conference in support of the Army, scheduled next month in Paris.

Ahead of the session, diplomats inquired whether the cabinet would approve a new plan for northern Litani. 

Sources told LBCI that the plan has already been approved in all its phases by the government and that the Army command will present the monthly report detailing the plan and its stages.

Information indicates that the Army chief will highlight the main points of the first phase south of the Litani, where the army extended its control without obstacles or clashes, except for Israeli occupation of five positions and the buffer zones imposed as a de facto reality, which prevented full implementation of the plan south of the river.

The success of the southern Litani operation was tied to political and security conditions that must now be applied to the northern region. 

The Army remains committed to extending state authority and controlling weapons without internal clashes.

The weapons control plan in northern Litani has already begun through measures to prevent arms transfers and close gaps and crossings along the riverbanks. 

The approach emphasizes no fixed timelines, avoiding the use of weapons in confrontation, and focusing on the army’s operational needs north of the river, while leveraging the plan to secure support at the Paris Conference.

Regarding Hezbollah, the party maintains its position of not making concessions without achieving gains from Israel. Any free concession, it argues, could become a new source of pressure and internal complications. 

In discussions with local actors, Hezbollah notes that the cooperative approach applied south of the Litani, where it offered full support, differs from the approach in its northern areas.

Sources monitoring the situation said they understand Hezbollah’s public stance, which balances Iran’s influence with Lebanon’s upcoming elections. 

They also noted that any major escalation by the Israeli occupation is unlikely to yield practical results, while the continued international support for the Lebanese Army remains crucial for implementing the weapons control plan, which has already achieved significant results.