Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah and Lebanon (September 1– 9, 2025)

Overview^[1]

• IDF forces attacked Hezbollah facilities and eliminated operatives of the organization as part of ongoing operations against Hezbollah’s presence in south Lebanon, which violates the ceasefire agreement understandings, and against Hezbollah’s efforts to increase its military-terrorist capabilities and restore its arsenal. The IDF attacked compounds storing engineering equipment used by Hezbollah, and eliminated three Hezbollah terrorist operatives and a Lebanese Brigades’ operative.
• The army’s plan for disarming all organizations in Lebanon was presented and approved at a Lebanese government meeting. The five-step plan is to be carried out geographically, the first two steps in south Lebanon north and south of the Litani River, but no dates were revealed. The Lebanese army reportedly raised its alert by 75%, was preparing to deal with internal confrontations, and was required to issue a monthly progress report.
• Amal and Hezbollah government ministers left the meeting in protest as soon as the issue of disarmament was raised, and one of their ministers declared that any decision made without the representatives of the Shi’ite community was contrary to the National Agreement. Hezbollah supporters held a small number of demonstrations in the Dahiyeh al-Janoubia in south Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold.
• According to reports, American transport planes landed at an air force base in the Beqa’a Valley carrying military equipment to aid the Lebanese army in carrying out the disarmament plan.
• Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met in Beirut with Admiral Brad Coooper, the new United States CENTCOM commander, who also met with the committee monitoring the ceasefire.
• The collection of Fatah weapons from the Palestinian refugee camps continued under the leadership and coordination of the Lebanese government. The other Palestinian terrorist organizations are currently not cooperating.

The Ceasefire in Lebanon

The IDF

• IDF forces attacked Hezbollah facilities and eliminated operatives of the organization as part of ongoing operations against Hezbollah’s presence south of the Litani River, which violates the November 27, 2024 ceasefire agreement understandings, and against Hezbollah’s efforts to increase its military-terrorist capabilities and restore its arsenal. The forces attacked Hezbollah facilities the Ansariya area north of Tyre, where engineering tools used for the organization’s military-terrorist buildup were stored, and rocket launchers in the Jebbayn area (IDF spokesperson, September 1–8). Three Hezbollah operatives were eliminated, along with an operative of the Lebanese Brigades operating under Hezbollah direction in south Lebanon (IDF spokesperson, September 3, 2025). The Lebanese ministry of health reported four dead and 17 wounded in Israeli attacks on September 3 (al-Nashra, September 3).

The Lebanese Government

• Lebanese Foreign Minister Yousef Rajji related to the demarcation of borders with Israel, noting that they had been marked in 1948 and should be established through indirect negotiations under the auspices of the UN or the United States. He said an Israeli withdrawal from the five points it holds in south Lebanon and the release of Lebanese prisoners were essential for any progress, adding that “the crisis in Lebanon is not only economic or political but also ideological. Some officials prefer their personal interests over national interests.” He stated that the greatest challenge facing Lebanon was to establish and enforce the state’s authority over all Lebanese territory through its army, and its success would affect regional stability and give the Lebanese hope for a better future of development and stability rather than conflict and division (al-Ittihad, September 1, 2025).
• Nawal Salam, Lebanese prime minister, claimed that the continued Israeli attacks in Lebanon violated of the ceasefire agreement, UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and international law, and demanded that the international community take action to stop the attacks and respect Lebanon’s sovereignty (X account of the Lebanese prime minister’s office, September 4, 2025).
• Joseph Aoun, Lebanese president, met in Beirut with Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, and called on the United States to pressure Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory and to activate the committee for implementing the ceasefire agreement. Aoun noted the importance of United States support for the Lebanese army, which enables it to carry out its missions. Cooper praised the Lebanese army’s activity, confirmed continued assistance, and announced that the committee supervising the agreement’s implementation would soon convene to discuss the situation in south Lebanon (Lebanese presidency X account, September 6, 2025).

      
Right: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper. Left: Cooper and Rodolf Haykal, commander of the Lebanese army (Lebanese army X account, September 6, 2025)

The Lebanese Army

• The CENTCOM commander and the United States envoy to the Middle East met with the committee overseeing the implementation of the ceasefire in Ras al-Naqoura and were given an aerial tour in south Lebanon (al-Akhbar, September 7, 2025; al-Jadeed, September 7, 2025).

UNIFIL

• UNIFIL reported that IDF UAVs dropped four grenades near UNIFIL soldiers removing roadblocks in the Marwahin area of south Lebanon, preventing access to a UNIFIL post near the Blue Line. The attack was reportedly “one of the most serious” since the November 2024 ceasefire. According to UNIFIL, the IDF knew in advance about the force’s operations in the area and its activity endangered the force and violated Resolution 1701 (UNIFIL Telegram channel, September 3, 2025). Following the incident, the president of Lebanon spoke with UNIFIL Commander Avengara and condemned the “Israel’s aggression against UNIFIL forces” (Lebanese president’s office X account, September 4, 2025).

Disarming Hezbollah^[2]

The Lebanese GovernmentApproves Army’s Plan for Disarmament

• On September 5, 2025, Rodolf Haykal, commander of the Lebanese army, presented the Lebanese government with the plan for the state’s monopoly on weapons, including the disarmament of Hezbollah. Minister of Information Paul Morcos announced that the government welcomed the plan but would keep its contents and the discussions about it confidential. He added that the army would act within its framework but would be able to exercise operational discretion. The army would begin enacting the plan according to its capabilities and resources, the limitations instituted by the army commander and the obstacles posed by Israel. He added that the army command would have to submit monthly progress reports to the government, and reiterated President Aoun’s condemnation of Israel’s attacks on Lebanese territory (al-Nashra, September 5, 2025). The five “Shi’ite duo” [Hezbollah and Amal] ministers left the government meeting before the presentation of the army’s plan (al-Nashra, September 5, 2025).

• Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated that the government’s decisions were unambiguous and left no room for interpretation. The first step would be continued disarmament south of the Litani River and preventing weapons from being carried and transferred throughout Lebanon (al-Sharq al-Awsat, September 5, 2025).
• Lebanese Foreign Minister Yousef Rajji called the government’s decision “historic,” marking the beginning of a state of law with exclusive authority regarding decisions of war and peace internally and externally. He added that other countries supported the decision and the international community conditioned its support for Lebanon on two factors, economic reforms to combat corruption and the state’s monopoly on weapons (al-Ittihad, September 1, 2025).
• According to Lebanese government sources, that the Lebanese army intended to collect Hezbollah’s weapons gradually from south to north, alongside the disarmament of the Palestinian refugee camps, as follows (LBC, September 5, 2025):

1. 1. South of the Litani River
   2. Between south of the Litani River and the Awali River area (depth of south Lebanon)
   3. The Beirut area
   4. The Beqa’a Valley

• Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri said the Lebanese did not want the army to confront any organization. He claimed that despite disagreements regarding the Lebanese army’s exclusive control of weapons, it would not lead to civil war (Sky News, September 3, 2025).
• Nabih Berri, speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, related to the Lebanese army disarmament plan and said they were going in “a positive direction” (al-Sharq al-Awsat, September 5, 2025). Berri was reportedly “satisfied” by with the government’s decision and did not intend to allow anti-government demonstrations (LBC, September 5, 2025).
• A source close to the “Shi’ite duo” reported that Hezbollah and Amal leaders held a meeting to determine their final position regarding the government meeting on the state’s monopoly on weapons (al-Jazeera, September 5, 2025).
• After the Hezbollah and Amal ministers left the government meeting, Hezbollah Minister of Labor Muhammad Haidar said the Shi’ite representatives had not discussed anything related to the Lebanese army’s plan and had left when the meeting began to deal with the army’s plan. He claimed they esteemed the Lebanese army and respected its commander, but their position was political and “principled,” and he claimed that any decision made without representatives of the Shi’ite community was contrary to the National Agreement (al-Manar, September 5, 2025). Minister of Information Morcos said the Shi’ite ministers who left the meeting halfway had not withdrawn from the government, adding added that the government had made no concessions regarding the plan to expand sovereignty and would continue to adhere to the plan without causing internal upheaval (MTV, September 5, 2025).
• After the government meeting, demonstrations against the government’s decision were held in the Dahiyeh al-Janoubia, with protestors on motorcycles waving Hezbollah flags (Lebanon 24, September 5, 2025).

• According to reports, before the government meeting, President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam were informed that Hezbollah and Amal ministers would not participate in the meeting if the discussion dealt with the disarmament plan and they refused to discuss any plan before Israel withdrew from Lebanon (al-Akhbar, September 2, 2025).

• Before the government meeting, security sources reported that the Lebanese army had raised its alert and taken additional security measures (al-Arabi, September 4, 2025). Several media outlets in Lebanon published a Lebanese army document stating that the army had been ordered to raise its level of alert by 75% (Bint Jbeil, September 4, 2025).

• According to reports, the Lebanese army’s plan to disarm Hezbollah was expected to last 15 months and would begin with the collection of weapons in Beirut and its surroundings. The Lebanese army reportedly did not commit to the government’s timetable of completing weapons collection by the end of 2025 (al-Hadath, September 4, 2025).
• According to Hezbollah’s daily newspaper al-Akhbar, the government meeting’s concluding statement reflected the political arrangements reached before the meeting between President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam and the “Shi’ite duo.” Government sources reported that the Lebanese army’s plan for disarmament consisted of five stages without specific dates for their completion. They would begin with finishing the army’s work south of the Litani River, then move to the area between the Litani River and the Awali River, afterwards to Beirut and its surroundings, and then to the Beqa’a Valley. The fifth stage would be the state’s monopoly on weapons throughout all of Lebanon. The army would decide how to act in the various regions and submit a monthly progress report to the government. According to the plan, the cessation of Israeli attacks and an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory were essential conditions. The plan included the expansion of military deployment and the establishment of checkpoints in several areas to prevent arms and drug smuggling, and assure control of the Syria–Lebanon border, the closure of illegal crossings and completion of disarming the Palestinian refugee camps (al-Akhbar, September 6, 2025).
• According to Lebanese army sources, Rodolf Haykal, commander of the Lebanese army, told Lebanese political figures that the current situation was “sensitive,” adding that the army would do everything in its power to serve Lebanon’s national interests, and the military establishment should not be dragged into internal political conflicts (al-Araby al-Jadeed, September 5, 2025).
• Lebanese Minister of Immigrants Kamal Shahada reported that the army’s disarmament plan was called Homeland Shield and confirmed that it consisted of five stages according to geographic areas (al-Hadath, September 7, 2025).

Hezbollah

• Ahead of the government meeting to approve the Lebanese army’s plan to disarm Hezbollah, sources in Hezbollah reiterated their discontent and harsh criticism of the Lebanese government regarding the possibility that Hezbollah would be required to disarm:
  • Political elements in Hezbollah reported that they had not yet decided on a position regarding their participation in the government meeting, adhered to their position against the government’s disarmament decisions and the Barrack document, and demanded that Lebanon’s defense plan and sovereignty be discussed before discussing exclusivity over weapons (al-Arabi, September 3, 2025).
  • Hezbollah’s al-Akhbar reported that Hezbollah and Amal were exercising great caution regarding all major proposals and would not discuss plans to implement “illegitimate decisions,” and the government was taking “reckless steps” and yielding to pressures (al-Akhbar, September 4, 2025).
  • Hezbollah Minister of Labor Muhammad Haidar claimed it was pointless to discuss disarmament since while the government was holding a meeting, Israel was killing Lebanese. He asked, “What is the point of discussing the weapons which exist to confront the enemy? Has the time not come for Lebanese unity in the face of the enemy’s arrogance?” (Muhammad Haidar’s X account, September 4, 2025).
• After the government meeting, Hezbollah leaders continued to criticize the government’s approval of the Lebanese army’s planned activity:
  • Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chairman of Hezbollah’s political council, opposed the government’s discussion on disarmament and declared that the organization was not prepared to give up Lebanon’s sovereignty in return for it. However, he added that the organization was ready for a dialogue with the government for the defense of Lebanon (YouNews, September 5, 2025). On another occasion he said the plan should be postponed until Israel stopped attacking Lebanon (Reuters, September 6, 2025). He added that Hezbollah and Amal ministers opposed the decision because it was illegal and unconstitutional. The decision was unfeasible, Hezbollah would not give up its weapons regardless of whatever pressure was exerted, and was prepared for any possibility of military intervention by Israel or its allies (al-Arabi, September 6, 2025).
  • Minister of Labor Muhammad Haidar said that the minimum required was “defensive guarantees” from the army since all of Lebanon was required to make concessions while Israel continued to act in Lebanon and held Lebanese “prisoners.” He wondered how Hezbollah was supposed to hand over its weapons to the army when the army was incapable of defending Lebanon (al-Jadeed, September 5, 2025).
  • Hassan Izz al-Din, a member of the Hezbollah faction in the Lebanese Parliament, said the government should disavow the plan to disarm Hezbollah, otherwise it would “bear the responsibility and the consequences.” He added that the weapons threatened Israel and therefore Hezbollah would not give them up under any circumstances. He claimed that thanks to Hezbollah’s weapons Israel “was afraid,” and therefore did not realize its plan for a Greater Israel, which included occupying Lebanese territory (Kuwait Times, September 6, 2025). On another occasion he related to the departure of the Shi’ite ministers from the government meeting, claiming they had not opposed the content of the plan but the process. He added that for Hezbollah the national priorities were stopping Israeli attacks, Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory, the release of the prisoners and the reconstruction of Lebanon, and only afterwards would it be possible to discuss a national defense and security strategy for Lebanon (al-‘Ahed, September 7, 2025).
  • He said, “Hezbollah will not give up its weapons, it cannot be allowed to collapse because it is Lebanon’s strength, without it our country would return to the weak side of the equation.” He added, “We believe that those who drafted the decision demanding the removal of the resistance’s weapons must reconsider and correct their mistake.” He said “a distinction must be made between exclusivity of weapons and disarmament” and claimed that “the government’s decision falls within a different context, it is intended to remove the weapons of the resistance because they still pose a threat to the Zionist enemy.” He added that “any decision taken against a Lebanese element violates the Taif Agreement and its spirit.” Regarding the departure of the Shiite ministers from the government meeting and claimed that “it was not opposition to the content of the plan but opposition to the process” (al-‘Ahed, September 7, 2025).

Hezbollah’s Opponents

• Rita Boulos, a senior figure in the Christian Phalanges Party, criticized the Amal and Hezbollah ministers who left the government meeting, calling them “the most despicable people there are, and relying on them is treason” (Rita Boulos’ X account , September 5, 2025).
• Sami Gemayel, chairman of the Phalanges Party, said that “90% of parliament supports limiting weapons to the state.” He noted that Nabih Berri, speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, told him that he supported limiting weapons to the state and added that no one would be able to stop the process (al-Arabiya, September 6, 2025).
• Laura Lahoud, minister of tourism, said that given Israel’s military capabilities, Lebanon had no choice and that even without guarantees from Israel, Lebanon had to implement the disarmament plan. However, she said she was optimistic about the chances of implementing the process despite the opposition of the Shi’ite ministers, and claimed that perhaps Hezbollah ministers needed more time but would eventually decide in favor of Lebanon (al-Jazeera, September 6, 2025).

• Samir Geagea, chairman of the Lebanese Forces Party, said Lebanon had no future without establishing a strong state and eliminating illegal weapons. He noted the importance of the Shi’ites to Lebanese society and called on them to free themselves from external influences and trust the state to protect them. He added that past experience showed that it was possible to live in peace in south Lebanon without the intervention of armed militias (al-Nashra, September 7, 2025). In response to Geagea, Mahmoud Qamati, Hezbollah’s deputy political council chairman, called on the Christian community in Lebanon to disregard what Geagea said and strengthen coexistence, and claimed they would stand against any external involvement (al-Jazeera, September 7, 2025).

American Involvement

• According to reports, there was unprecedented movement of American C-130 transport planes at the Rayak Air Force Base in the Beqa’a Valley. The planes carried military equipment and light and medium weapons, indicating the United States’ willingness to provide the Lebanese army with the weapons necessary to implement the plan to disarm Hezbollah. The activity was carried out ahead of the visit of the American envoy, Morgan Ortagus, and Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. Reportedly, the United States intends to deploy 2,000 American soldiers in the border area between Lebanon and Israel, reflecting the United States’ desire to strengthen its military presence in the country ahead of any possible escalation (Aram News, September 6, 2025).

Challenges to Hezbollah and the Reconstruction of Lebanon

Funding and Supplying Arms

• According to reports, a “senior Iraqi figure” was approached by Iranians who requested that Iraq allow “significant easing” at the al-Qa’im border crossing for the transfer of large shipments of money to Hezbollah through Syrian territory. The “senior figure” reportedly did not respond to the request because of the political and security complexity of the area, which also included American surveillance. It was also reported that the security apparatuses in Syria and Lebanon monitored Iran’s attempts, which increased in recent weeks, to transfer aid to Hezbollah, which was under pressure due to the disarmament plan. Some “aid shipments” had already been delivered, and the United States was now trying to obtain information about the transfer of millions of dollars to Hezbollah through traditional money transfer channels and land routes. It was also noted that Iranian smuggling routes were still active on the Iraq–Syria border and Syrian security forces were trying to prevent smuggling. Iran reportedly told the smugglers to find new ways to help Hezbollah (al-Sharq al-Awsat, September 5, 2025).

The Palestinians in Lebanon

Collecting Weapons from the Palestinian Terrorist Organizations^[3]

• This past week the collection of weapons from the Palestinian refugee camps continued, with Fatah leading the activity in coordination with the Lebanese government, while the other Palestinian movements delayed and continued to hold on to them, mainly due to fear of internal confrontations.
• Palestinian leaders feared that a “fifth column” was trying to disrupt the weapons’ handover, but Fatah claimed that the collection would continue and include all the camps. However, recently there were armed clashes in the Burj al-Barajneh and Shatila refugee camps south of Beirut, which included rocket fire. Several people were injured and several families were displaced. Security sources and Palestinian figures in Lebanon claimed that the clashes in Burj al-Barajneh had been caused by a long-standing clan feud, while in Shatila they were the result of conflicts between drug dealers and outlaws. A security source reported that the army took security measures to prevent the clashes from spreading beyond the camps and currently had no intention of entering the camps to intervene. The source reported that Fatah handed over medium and heavy weapons in Burj al-Barajneh, while the other “factions,” gangs and clans kept and used their weapons. A source in the Palestinian leadership declared that the uncontrolled weapons “posed a threat to all of Lebanon,” and called on the Lebanese army to do its job and prevent the situation from deteriorating (al-Sharq al-Awsat, September 6, 2025).
• In the assessment of sources following the handing over of Palestinian weapons, “many people were harmed by Fatah’s continued handover of weapons, whether the leaders were still unconvinced or because the other factions refused to hand them over, or because of Hezbollah itself, which pressured its affiliated organizations not to cooperate, which would embarrass the organization because it had refused to submit to the government’s decision regarding exclusivity of weapons.” According al-Sharq al-Awsat, Fatah’s handing over weapons would soon be completed in the al-Badawi and al-Jalil camps, with the final stages in Ain al-      Hilweh and al-Miya-Miya (al-Sharq al-Awsat, September 6, 2025).

     
Lebanese army forces collect Palestinian weapons inside the Burj al-Barajneh refugee camp near Beirut (al-Sharq al-Awsat, September 6, 2025).

^[1] Click https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/en to subscribe and receive the ITIC's daily updates as well as its other publications.
^[2] For further information, see the August 2025 ITIC report, Lebanese Government Decides to Disarm Hezbollah – Positions of Power Actors.
^[3] For further information, see the May 2025 ITIC report, Disarming the Palestinian Factions in Lebanon and the June 2025 report, "The Armed Palestinian Terrorist Organizations in Lebanon."

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