• The Lebanese President Joseph Aoun sits with the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi in Bkerki, Lebanon, April 20, 2025 (X/ @LBpresidency)

Domestic disputes must be resolved through a "reconciliatory" mentality, emphasized the Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Sunday during his meeting with the Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi.

Aoun stated that "any contentious issue should not be addressed through the media or social media, but rather through direct and responsible dialogue with the concerned parties," referring to talks over the disarmament of Hezbollah.

He added that "no internal Lebanese conflict should be handled except through reconciliation," clarifying that the state is committed to arms control, but awaits the suitable conditions before deciding on implementation.

The Lebanese President continued, "I am convinced that the Lebanese people do not want war, nor do they even want to hear talk of it," emphasizing that "the Lebanese Armed Forces alone bear responsibility for Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence."

On Friday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem reaffirmed in a televised speech the centrality of armed Resistance as a response to Israeli aggression and expansion, rejecting any discussion of disarmament while occupation persists.

Addressing local and international calls for Hezbollah’s disarmament, Sheikh Qassem warned, "Israel’s talk about disarming the resistance is aimed at weakening Lebanon and occupying it as part of its expansionist project."

"There is one particular party and a few discordant voices in Lebanon who focus solely on the issue of the Resistance’s weapons," he said. "But the Resistance’s weapons are exclusively tied to confronting the Israeli enemy."

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"The primary issue in Lebanon is not the Resistance’s weapons but the expulsion of the Israeli occupation," he asserted.

Lebanese Army confiscates rockets, weapons in Saida

In a related context, the Lebanese Army Command announced Sunday the seizure of several rockets, along with their dedicated launch platforms, during a raid on an apartment in the Saida-Zahrani area in the south of the country.

In a statement, the army indicated that several individuals involved in the operation had been arrested, adding that the operation came as a result of ongoing monitoring, surveillance, investigations, and the availability of information about preparations for a new rocket launch toward the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Lebanese Army confirmed that "the seized items have been handed over to the relevant authorities, and the investigation with the detainees has begun under the supervision of the competent judiciary."

إلحاقًا بالبيان الصادر بتاريخ ١٦ / ٤ / ٢٠٢٥ والمتعلق بتوقيف عدد من أفراد المجموعة التي نفذت عمليتَي إطلاق صواريخ في جنوب لبنان، ونتيجة المتابعة والرصد والتحقيقات المستمرة، توافرت لدى مديرية المخابرات معلومات عن التحضير لعملية جديدة لإطلاق صواريخ باتجاه الأراضي الفلسطينية المحتلة.… pic.twitter.com/sICfmkBQwy

— الجيش اللبناني (@LebarmyOfficial) April 20, 2025

Talk about Hezbollah disarmament provocation: Safa

Wafiq Safa, the head of Hezbollah’s Liaison and Coordination Unit, dismissed recent social media discussions regarding Hezbollah’s disarmament as deliberate provocations, in an interview with Al Nour radio on April 18.

He emphasized that the Resistance group remains robust and fully committed to Lebanon’s defense structure, describing these debates as part of an ongoing "psychological war" aimed at undermining the Resistance's grassroots support.

He recalled that President Aoun had addressed the issue of a national defense strategy in his inaugural speech, pointing out that the president was made aware of Hezbollah’s stance, which insists that any national strategy must be contingent upon "Israel’s" complete adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 1701.