The Lebanese Forces (LF) strongly criticized comments made Sunday by Hezbollah MP Ali Fayad regarding the party's alleged popularity, reiterating that Lebanon's "sovereignty" must be ensured through state monopoly over arms.

In a speech in Halta, in the Hasbaya district of southern Lebanon, during the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter, the parliamentarian stated that "no one should underestimate the power and popular base of the resistance and Hezbollah, as it is still the largest party on a popular level in this country."

In their response, the LF emphasized that Hezbollah cannot be that popular as long as it "insists, contrary to the opinion of the vast majority of Lebanese, on retaining its weapons, which have proven to be completely ineffective." "The state, as the effective representative of the Lebanese people, is solely authorized to identify the sources of strength or weakness for Lebanon, not any particular party," they added.

Regarding the issue of arms north of the Litani, which the Christian party believes should remain a "sovereign matter" internal to Lebanon, the LF reminded the MP that "sovereignty is at the heart of the Taif Agreement, which clearly stipulates the need for the state to exclusively hold weapons throughout the national territory." The Taif Agreement, it is recalled, ended the civil war (1975-1990) and provided for the disarmament of all militias. "State monopoly over weapons is a matter of sovereignty that has no connection with foreign states," insisted the LF, accusing Hezbollah of seeking to "stir internal divisions and provoke dissensions."

"It's as if some people live on the moon or another planet, and are completely unaware of the pain and suffering of the Lebanese people, starting with the inhabitants of the South," concluded the LF.

President Joseph Aoun recently expressed the desire to make 2025 the year of "state monopoly over arms." Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated that "the Lebanese state is the sole master of war and peace decisions, and the only party authorized to possess weapons." A cease-fire agreement ended, on Nov. 27, 2024, more than a year of hostilities, including two months of open war between Israel and Hezbollah, which emerged significantly weakened. The agreement provides for the dismantling of the party's military infrastructure between the Litani River and the Israeli border, about thirty kilometers south, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the south of the country. Washington is pressuring Lebanese authorities to push for Hezbollah's disarmament. The Israeli army has maintained several positions in southern Lebanon and continues to carry out strikes, claiming to target the pro-Iranian formation.