After army chief elected president, Lebanon’s caretaker PM vows to disarm Hezbollah in the south

Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati says that the state will begin disarming southern Lebanon, particularly the areas south of the Litani River, to establish its presence across the country in line with the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Hezbollah terror group.

“We are in a new phase — in this new phase, we will start with south Lebanon and south Litani specifically in order to pull weapons so that the state can be present across Lebanese territory,” Mikati says.

His statement comes after Lebanese Armed Forces chief Joseph Aoun was elected president on Thursday, ending a two-year stalemate.

Aoun, in comments after his election, vowed to ensure that the state would have “a monopoly” on the right to carry arms, in reference to Hezbollah’s extensive arsenal.

Over the years, Lebanese forces have failed to uphold two UN Security Council resolutions demanding the disarmament of all of Lebanon’s various militias, and the withdrawal of Hezbollah north of the Litani River — about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from its border with Israel.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah signed in late November is the latest attempt by the US to encourage the Lebanese army to enforce the 19-year-old measure.