U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has publicly called on Lebanese officials to take action to confiscate weapons in the possession of Hezbollah, underscoring long-standing international concerns about armed militias operating outside state authority. The appeal highlights tensions over the role of non-state armed groups in Lebanon's security landscape.
Lebanon's president responded by reaffirming the government's commitment to the principle that all weapons should be under the exclusive control of the state. The pledge echoes repeated statements by Lebanese officials about the need to strengthen state sovereignty and consolidate security responsibilities within official institutions.
The issue of Hezbollah's arsenal has been a persistent and divisive topic in Lebanese politics and regional diplomacy. Proponents of disarmament argue that bringing all arms under state control is essential to restoring order and ensuring the state's monopoly on legitimate force, while opponents warn that unilateral moves could destabilize fragile political balances and security arrangements.
Observers say progress on the matter will depend on complex domestic negotiations and wider regional dynamics. Any push to disarm or confiscate weapons would have political, security and diplomatic repercussions inside Lebanon and beyond, and could influence relations between Beirut and external actors concerned about the group's military capabilities.