Minister of State for Administrative Development Dr. Fadi Mekki stressed that “the decision taken today, Monday, by the Lebanese government is clear. It calls for an immediate ban on all security and military activities carried out by Hezbollah, obliges the group to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese state, and confines its role to political activity—thereby entrenching the principle of exclusive state control over arms.”
In remarks to Alhurra, Mekki said the government has requested that the Lebanese Army immediately begin implementing the decision.
Asked about the potential impact of this move on the risk of escalation, Mekki said: “This is precisely our goal: to protect our people and our country by keeping Lebanon out of the conflict. This is what we sought to do before rockets were launched from Lebanese territory. Today, we hope it is not too late to shield the country from the conflict.”
Earlier on Monday, the Lebanese government issued a decision banning Hezbollah’s military activities, declaring them illegal, and tasked the Lebanese Army with enforcing the decision in the manner it deems appropriate.
The decision came only hours after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Haifa, in its first military operation since the ceasefire in November 2024.
In a statement, Hezbollah said the rocket fire was carried out “in retaliation” for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The Israeli army responded by carrying out intense airstrikes on Beirut’s Southern Suburb and southern Lebanon, saying that some of the strikes targeted Hezbollah leaders. It also issued evacuation warnings to more than fifty towns in the south and the Bekaa Valley, urging residents to leave their homes for their safety ahead of military operations aimed at pursuing Hezbollah targets and military facilities.
This triggered large waves of displacement after midnight from the south, the Bekaa, and Beirut’s southern suburbs. People fled on foot and by car, causing severe traffic congestion as soon as the strikes began, at around 2:40 a.m.
Israeli media outlets reported the killing of Mohammad Raad, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, in the airstrikes.
The article is a translation of the original Arabic.
