Lebanese President Joseph Aoun confirmed on Friday that negotiations with Hezbollah over the group’s weapons are ongoing but advancing slowly, amid mounting tensions along the southern border with Israel. Speaking after a symbolic visit to Sin al-Fil, Aoun said dialogue is being conducted directly with Hezbollah rather than through formal security committees and expressed cautious optimism for eventual progress.
“There is some responsiveness to the ideas we’re discussing, even if things are moving at a slow pace,” Aoun noted, stressing that neither party seeks war, which would have devastating consequences for all sides.
His remarks come after Hezbollah publicly rejected a U.S. proposal, presented by envoy Tom Barrack, aimed at centralizing all weapons under state control. The American plan, which Washington insists is a condition for continued U.S. support, emphasized a “monopoly of arms” by official Lebanese forces. Barrack reiterated that the U.S. views Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization in its entirety and called on Lebanon’s leadership to seize this opportunity for national stability.
Hezbollah countered by reaffirming its commitment to UN Resolution 1701, which calls for Israel’s full withdrawal from Lebanese territory, while demanding any discussion on disarmament be linked to a comprehensive national defense strategy.
The dialogue unfolds as Israeli airstrikes intensify across southern Lebanon. On Friday, an Israeli drone strike killed a Hezbollah member in Bint Jbeil, while additional raids targeted weapons depots and launch sites. Further inflaming tensions, an Israeli soldier fatally shot a Lebanese civilian near the border. In response, residents of Aita al-Shaab warned they may take security into their own hands, declaring, “Security is not a luxury; it is our right.”
With clashes escalating and diplomatic efforts stalling, the situation underscores Lebanon’s precarious balancing act between domestic stability, regional conflict, and international pressure for disarmament.
