By Nohad Topalian | 2025-06-16

BEIRUT -- The Lebanese Army's successful dismantling and destruction of more than 500 Hizbullah military and weapons installations south of the Litani River is an important step in strengthening government authority, experts said.

But work remains to be done to ensure the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the disarmament of all militias, and other agreements, including the November 27 ceasefire, they said.

The army's destruction of Hizbullah sites "is a small part of a larger undertaking," military and strategic expert Yaarob Sakhr told Al-Fassel.

UN Resolution 1701 and the November 27 ceasefire agreement "stipulate disarmament starting from south of the Litani River, to pave the way for the army's deployment throughout Lebanese territory," he said.

Israeli forces "destroyed some sites and seized weapons, and Hizbullah has used up much of what it has," Sakhr said. "But the party still possesses light and medium military capabilities accumulated over 40 years."

This necessitates "the disarmament of militias, the deployment of legitimate forces throughout Lebanon, and taking full control of the borders," Sakhr said.

"All the army needs is for the government to support it by increasing salaries, calling up the estimated 20,000 army reserves, and calling for compulsory conscription," he added.

He noted that international support for Lebanon "is conditional on the state imposing its authority and sovereignty."

This means "implementing international resolutions in practice, not just in words, disarming the militias, and ending all forms of illegitimacy," he said.

Dismantling Hizbullah's military apparatus

Dismantling Hizbullah's facilities in southern Lebanon is "very important," political writer Tony Boulos told Al-Fassel.

"What is required of the Lebanese government is to dismantle Hizbullah's entire military and weapons apparatus north of the Litani River, the Bekaa Valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut," he said.

The party's economic system, which generates revenue, also needs to be dismantled "to prevent it from rebuilding its military capabilities after they have declined to their lowest level," he said.

The Lebanese Army "has the combat capabilities to carry out what is required of it, primarily destroying Hizbullah's structures," Boulos said.

But it needs help "to address the urgent need for reforms within the military establishment and security services to enable them to fulfill their duties."

Structural reforms also are needed at the state level to strengthen the government's authority and impose its sovereignty, Boulos said.

What has been dismantled so far is "very important, as it is the first times that we have witnessed the legitimate government confront Hizbullah," he said.