From this perspective, Hezbollah’s weapons have existed outside the framework of Lebanese state legitimacy since the group’s founding in the early 1980s. Supported by regional actors, these weapons often became tools of internal coercion, with Hezbollah’s military power surpassing that of the Lebanese Army itself. This imbalance placed the Lebanese state, in all its sectarian diversity, under the influence of a single armed actor operating in accordance with external agendas. Former President Michel Aoun’s ascent to office in 2016 was itself the result of a major political settlement endorsed by Hezbollah. If the Lebanese state succeeds in disarming Hezbollah across all its territory, it would mark a historic turning point.

Source: Daily News Egypt January 13, 2026 17:34 UTC