Last week, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) said they had successfully disarmed Hezbollah in the southern part of the country, covering the area south of the Litani River. That disarmament was first listed as a condition of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which has been in force since 2006 and was re-affirmed in the 2024 ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel.

But Israel doesn’t believe Lebanon’s claims and says Hezbollah is rearming faster than it is disarming. That has left Lebanon once again on tenterhooks, as Israel insists on Hezbollah’s nationwide disarmament and international lenders hold back funds from Lebanon until that condition is fulfilled.

Last week, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) said they had successfully disarmed Hezbollah in the southern part of the country, covering the area south of the Litani River. That disarmament was first listed as a condition of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which has been in force since 2006 and was re-affirmed in the 2024 ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel.

But Israel doesn’t believe Lebanon’s claims and says Hezbollah is rearming faster than it is disarming. That has left Lebanon once again on tenterhooks, as Israel insists on Hezbollah’s nationwide disarmament and international lenders hold back funds from Lebanon until that condition is fulfilled.

Lebanon is contemplating two unpleasant scenarios: trying to disarm Hezbollah forcibly, potentially triggering unrest and rioting, or a full-fledged Israeli invasion to eliminate Hezbollah’s weapons across the country.

“The Lebanese authorities don’t want a military clash with Hezbollah, but trying to avoid the possibility of a domestic clash is paving the ground for Israeli action,” said Sami Nader, a Lebanese political analyst.

The Israel Defense Forces have carried out near-daily strikes on the country, killing more than 300 people, since a cessation of hostilities agreement was inked in November 2024. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has

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