Lebanon says next phase of Hezbollah disarmament to take around 4 months

Lebanon’s government says its army will have a four-month extendable period to implement phase two of the military’s plan to disarm Hezbollah in south Lebanon.

Lebanon’s government has committed to disarming Hezbollah, which was badly weakened in a recent war with Israel, and the military said last month that it had completed the first phase of its plan, covering the area between the Litani River and the Israeli border, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) further south.

Phase two covers an area north of the river.

Information Minister Paul Morcos tells a press conference after a cabinet session that the government “took note of the army leadership’s presentation” on the second stage of the plan and that “there is a timeframe of four months, extendable depending on available capabilities, Israeli attacks, and hindrances on the ground.”

Israel has cast doubts on Lebanon’s claim that it has fully disarmed Hezbollah south of the Litani, and has continued to carry out strikes on Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure in the area.