Hezbollah Threatens Civil War as Lebanon Pushes to Disarm Iran-Backed Militia Nationwide

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

BEIRUT (Worthy News) – A senior official of the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah has warned Lebanon’s government that expanding efforts to disarm the group across the country would plunge the nation into chaos and could spark a new civil war, according to comments circulated by Hezbollah on Wednesday.

Lebanon has pledged to place all weapons under state control in accordance with a 2024 agreement that ended a devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah. However, the terror group insists the deal applies only to southern Lebanon near the Israeli border and has refused to surrender its weapons elsewhere.

In an interview with Russian state media outlet RT, senior Hezbollah political official Mahmoud Qmati said pursuing a state monopoly on arms north of the Litani River would be “the biggest crime committed by the state.”

“The path taken by the Lebanese government and state institutions will lead Lebanon to instability, chaos and perhaps even civil war,” Qmati said, while claiming Hezbollah would not seek a confrontation with the Lebanese army.

The Lebanese Armed Forces said last week it had taken operational control of the area between the Litani River and Israel’s border. The Lebanese cabinet has requested a briefing in early February on plans to extend disarmament efforts to other parts of the country.

Hezbollah has conditioned any further talks on Israel withdrawing from five hilltop positions it still occupies in southern Lebanon, halting near-daily airstrikes, and releasing detained Lebanese. “There will be no talk or dialogue about any situation north of the Litani River before Israel withdraws from all Lebanese territory,” Qmati said.

Despite the threats, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Sunday that Beirut’s campaign to dismantle armed groups would continue nationwide, even as Israeli strikes persist. Israeli officials have warned that disarmament efforts remain insufficient, fueling fears among Lebanese leaders that Israel could escalate military action.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji acknowledged this week that the ceasefire agreement allows Israel to continue striking Hezbollah targets as long as the group retains its weapons — an apparent first public admission that such strikes are approved by Beirut.

Since the ceasefire, Israel says it has killed roughly 400 Hezbollah operatives and struck hundreds of additional targets linked to the group, arguing that ongoing Hezbollah activity violates the agreement. The conflict began on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched attacks on northern Israel a day after Hamas’s assault on southern Israel ignited the Gaza war.

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