The Lebanese military completed the first phase of a U.S.-backed plan to deploy across southern Lebanon and disarm non-state groups like Hezbollah. While the army successfully cleared various tunnels and rocket positions, Israel criticized the efforts as insufficient, claiming the group continues to rearm and maintain infrastructure. Hezbollah has rejected the broader disarmament push, insisting that the current ceasefire agreement applies only to territory south of the Litani River. Despite these tensions, the Lebanese government aims to consolidate state control over all weapons to help secure international funding for post-war reconstruction.
Date: January 8, 2026. Source: apnews.com