Lebanon will place all weapons under the control of the state but will wait for the "right conditions" to implement the plan, President Joseph Aoun said on Sunday. Speaking after a meeting with Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Aoun emphasized that the Lebanese Armed Forces are solely responsible for defending the country's sovereignty and independence. "The Lebanese people do not want war, and therefore the armed forces are the only body responsible for Lebanon's sovereignty," he stated. "The state will deal with the issue of Hezbollah's weapons with vision and responsibility. This is essential to preserving civil peace, and I will take responsibility for it in cooperation with the government." "We will place the weapons under state control, but we are waiting for the right conditions to determine how this will be done," he added. In an earlier interview with London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Aoun reiterated his commitment to place all weapons under the control of the state in 2025. He proposed that Hezbollah members could be integrated into the Lebanese army through formal training programs. The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1701 in 2006, which ended hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, created a buffer zone in southern Lebanon, and called for the implementation of the Taif Agreement — including the disarmament of all militias. International pressure has mounted on Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, particularly since a November ceasefire agreement ended over a year of cross-border clashes with Israel. According to Lebanese authorities, Israel has committed more than 2,763 violations of the truce, resulting in at least 193 deaths and 485 injuries. While Israel was expected to complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26 under the ceasefire terms, the deadline was extended to Feb. 18. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts. — Agencies
