Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced Tuesday that the Cabinet has formally assigned the Lebanese Army to draft a comprehensive plan aimed at consolidating arms under state control by the end of 2025. The army is expected to submit the plan for Cabinet review no later than August 31.

The decision followed a tense and extended Cabinet meeting held at the presidential palace in Baabda, chaired by President Joseph Aoun. More than three hours of the session were devoted to the highly sensitive agenda item concerning the consolidation of arms under the state’s authority, a topic that continues to fuel deep political divides within the Lebanese government.

In his remarks after the meeting, Prime Minister Salam reiterated Lebanon’s commitment to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, as reaffirmed in the ministerial statement, and underlined the state's sovereign right to defend itself against any external aggression.

The Cabinet also agreed to reconvene on Thursday, August 7, to resume discussions on a US-backed proposal currently under review. 

According to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent, ministers representing Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, Rakan Nasreddine and Tamara Zein, walked out of the session in protest. 

While framed as a technical step, the army’s assignment comes at a time of heightened foreign pressure on Lebanon to address the issue of arms outside state institutions. However, for many Lebanese, particularly within the Resistance camp, any national defense strategy must acknowledge the proven effectiveness of the Resistance in deterring Israeli aggression and preserving Lebanon’s sovereignty.

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The coming weeks are expected to test the ability of Lebanon’s political factions to navigate the sensitive arms file without compromising national unity or yielding to foreign agendas.

Missiles will pour down on 'Israel' if new war launched: Sheikh Qassem

Hezbollah has fully adhered to the terms of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, asserted the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, stressing that "no violation has been recorded on our part" toward the enemy or in terms of its cooperation with the Lebanese state and maintaining that "Israel is the side that violated the agreement and breached it thousands of times."

Speaking at an event commemorating 40 days since the martyrdom of Brigadier General Mohammad Saeed Izadi (Hajj Ramadan), Sheikh Qassem revealed that "Israel" "regretted signing the agreement" once it became clear that the deal allowed Hezbollah to preserve military might in Lebanon, adding, "That is why Israel does not abide by the agreement."

"What happened in Syria greatly impacted the measures taken by Israel, making it regret drafting the agreement," he continued.

Hezbollah's Secretary-General asserted that solutions for Lebanon cannot be imposed unilaterally or dictated from above, emphasizing the Resistance's role as a fundamental pillar of the nation while calling for a complete reevaluation of how national approaches address sovereign and strategic matters.

He warned that no solution can be achieved without consensus, stressing this as a fundamental strategic matter and cautioning against prioritizing personal interests that align with "Israel's" agenda, as he held those responsible accountable for any harm done to Lebanon.

Moreover, Sheikh Qassem emphasized that Lebanon's stability depends on all its people, not one faction at the expense of another, framing the current struggle as an all-or-nothing battle where either all of Lebanon wins together or everyone loses, expressing firm belief in collective victory.