Lebanon dismantled ‘over 90 percent’ of Hezbollah infrastructure near Israel border

The Cradle, April 30, 2025 ─ 

As Beirut faces intense US pressure to fully disarm the resistance, Hezbollah officials have urged the government to defend Lebanese sovereignty against ongoing Israeli attacks.

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) has dismantled over 90 percent of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure south of the Litani River since the implementation of a one-sided ceasefire last November, a security source told AFP on 30 April.

“We have completed the dismantling of more than 90 percent of the infrastructure in the area south of the Litani River. There are likely sites that we are unaware of, but if we discover them, we will take the necessary measures,” the source reportedly said.

“Hezbollah withdrew and said, ‘Do what you want.’ … There is no longer a Hezbollah military structure south of the Litani,” the unnamed source added.

The AFP report arrived a few hours after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with US Ambassador Lisa Johnson and US Army General Jasper Jeffers, along with General Michael J. Leeney, who is set to replace Jeffers as the head of the Special Operations Command Central, responsible for overseeing the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

According to the US Embassy in Lebanon, Leeney will “work closely with LAF, UNIFIL, France, and the Military Technical Committee for Lebanon to enable the LAF to provide security and fully safeguard Lebanese sovereignty.”

In a televised interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Aoun emphasized his commitment to disarming the Lebanese resistance and armed groups within Palestinian refugee camps.

“The most important thing is to hand over heavy and medium weapons, which is the basis. As for light weapons, it is a Lebanese culture to have light weapons, so it is difficult to collect all these light weapons. However, we must also focus on the weapons in the hands of the Palestinians, not just the Lebanese and Hezbollah,” Aoun said.

Since the signing of the ceasefire with Israel and the formation of the current Lebanese government, Hezbollah has expressed its willingness to allow the LAF to take control of the border region with Israel and has repeatedly urged Beirut to defend Lebanese sovereignty.

“The first priority is to stop the Israeli aggression, ensure the withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and secure the release of captives. The second priority is reconstruction, and the government has been severely delayed in reconstruction – this is our duty,” Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said during a speech on Monday.

“The state cannot take everything without doing anything. I tell them: ‘Empower yourselves by intensifying your communications,’” the resistance leader said, highlighting that officials in Beirut are informing foreign envoys that “they are ready to restrict weapons while the other side has not fulfilled its obligations.”

“Israel seeks to dominate Lebanon, establish settlements, impose resettlement, and weaken the country – and so does the US,” Qassem stressed.

Washington has been exerting intense pressure on Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, going as far as to impose an “undeclared veto” on Gulf nations that offered financial support for the reconstruction of the country until Israel’s objectives are met.

“The issue of weapons is an internal matter, and we are prepared to discuss the issue as part of a defensive strategy to ensure Lebanon’s security. It is a Lebanese issue and does not relate to any external factor,” Hezbollah MP Ihab Hamadeh said earlier this month.