BEIRUT — Lebanon’s Cabinet on Thursday held its first-ever session dedicated to discussing the state’s monopoly over weapons and the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, a small but notable step toward addressing Hezbollah’s disarmament.

The meeting, convened at the Baabda Presidential Palace, was preceded by a brief consultation between President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Army chief Rodolphe Haykal opened the session with an update on the security situation in southern Lebanon and efforts to enforce Resolution 1701, which calls for the disarmament of all non-state actors and a buffer zone free of armed groups south of the Litani River.

Haykal said the army had carried out numerous operations since the start of the current truce and highlighted what he described as Hezbollah’s cooperation. He added, however, that the continued Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory remained the primary obstacle to the military’s operations in the south.

Information Minister Paul Morcos told reporters after the session that "repeated Israeli violations " were the main factor hindering the army’s deployment, not any internal obstruction. "There are many challenges related to the army’s capabilities, but no other factor is slowing down the troops’ deployment," he said, adding that the military would carry out its mission "without negligence or delay."

Morcos said ministers also discussed plans for the army to destroy stockpiled munitions, stressing that technical standards must be followed. He added that the Cabinet approved an extension of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which is mandated under Resolution 1701 to operate alongside Lebanese troops in the south. The force’s mandate is subject to annual renewal in August. 

The Cabinet session comes on the eve of expected remarks from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has suggested Washington may reconsider its financial support for UNIFIL and other U.N. missions.

Timetable and Liberation of the South

During Thursday’s Cabinet session, ministers also broached the broader issue of Hezbollah’s disarmament across Lebanese territory, including north of the Litani River — an area not covered by Resolution 1701.

"The goal was to survey the ministers’ positions rather than reach a decision," a source familiar with the talks said.

According to information obtained by L'Orient-Le Jour, ministers aligned with the Hezbollah-Amal alliance expressed openness to working with the state and its leadership. However, they insisted that the immediate "priority should be the liberation of still-occupied areas in southern Lebanon."

By contrast, ministers close to the Lebanese Forces party called for a six-month roadmap for the voluntary disarmament of Hezbollah — an unprecedented move in official discussions.

The Cabinet session comes amid a push by Aoun to restore the state’s exclusive control over arms through direct dialogue with Hezbollah’s leadership. Earlier this week, Aoun has suggested that Hezbollah fighters could be integrated into the Lebanese Army through "integration training programs," similar to those used to absorb former militias after the Civil War.

At the start of the meeting, Aoun briefed ministers on his recent visit to Qatar. He said Doha reaffirmed its support for the Lebanese Army and expressed interest in increasing investments in Lebanon.

A Qatari delegation is expected to visit Beirut next week to discuss Lebanon’s chronic electricity crisis, including plans to upgrade power plants. The national utility, Électricité du Liban (EDL), currently lacks the capacity to provide uninterrupted power without relying on expensive and highly polluting private generators.

Aoun and Salam push for reforms, justice, and answers on port blast

Morcos said Aoun underscored the international community’s interest in Lebanon’s reform process and praised the government's recent efforts on financial legislation. “The president thanked the Cabinet for passing two reform-oriented bills,” Morcos told reporters.

Prime Minister Salam also used the session to stress the urgency of making long-overdue judicial appointments. According to Morcos, the premier briefed ministers on his recent visit to Syria, where he discussed a range of bilateral issues, including border control, efforts to curb smuggling and the long-standing file of Lebanese citizens missing in Syrian prisons.

Salam also said he had asked Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa for information regarding the 2020 Beirut port explosion. Investigations have suggested that the ammonium nitrate responsible for the blast — which killed more than 200 people and devastated large parts of the capital — was stored at the port on behalf of the now-deposed regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Aoun meets labor and interior ministers 

Before the Cabinet session, Aoun met with Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar to discuss developments within the ministry, including plans to raise the minimum wage, advance automation efforts and finalize a study on labor market conditions for both Lebanese citizens and foreign workers, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

The previous government, led by Najib Mikati, approved a minimum wage increase in the private sector to LL18 million — roughly $200 at the current exchange rate of LL89,500 to the dollar — about a year ago. Recent talks have revived the issue, with some labor unions pushing for a new minimum wage equivalent to $1,000.

In comments to Russian news agency Sputnik, also carried by the NNA, Haidar said the proposed wage increase is "in the finalization phase" and that a meeting scheduled for next Tuesday would "definitively decide the matter" ahead of an April 28 deadline.

Aoun also held talks with Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar about preparations for upcoming municipal elections, which are set to begin on May 4 in Mount Lebanon.

Monopole des armes : le Conseil des ministres brise le tabou