Soldiers deployed in the southern suburbs of Beirut during a protest organized by Hezbollah, Aug. 7, 2025. (Credit: Ibrahim Amro/AFP)
In early August, the Lebanese government approved a historic yet deeply polarizing decision: tasking the Lebanese Army with drafting a plan to bring all weapons under state control by the end of the year.Widely seen as the first official step toward disarming Hezbollah, the decision immediately sparked a strong reaction. All four Shiite ministers present walked out of the Cabinet session, Hezbollah leaders denounced it as a “grave sin,” and warnings followed that any effort to disarm the party under continuing Israeli fire would trigger retaliation.This issue reflects Lebanon’s dilemma over sovereignty.Sovereignty is often defined as the state’s monopoly on the use of force and its independence in foreign affairs, grounded in functional institutions, fiscal stability and legitimacy.Lebanon has none of these.Under such circumstances, the...
In early August, the Lebanese government approved a historic yet deeply polarizing decision: tasking the Lebanese Army with drafting a plan to bring all weapons under state control by the end of the year.Widely seen as the first official step toward disarming Hezbollah, the decision immediately sparked a strong reaction. All four Shiite ministers present walked out of the Cabinet session, Hezbollah leaders denounced it as a “grave sin,” and warnings followed that any effort to disarm the party under continuing Israeli fire would trigger retaliation.This issue reflects Lebanon’s dilemma over sovereignty.Sovereignty is often defined as the state’s monopoly on the use of force and its independence in foreign affairs, grounded in functional institutions, fiscal stability and legitimacy.Lebanon has none of these.Under such...
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