Disarming Hezbollah 'extremely difficult', expert says amid Israel tensions

It has been “extremely difficult” for the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah since the 2024 ceasefire with Israel, despite ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon, said Ziad Majed, professor of Middle East studies at the American University of Paris. He noted that Lebanese authorities face a dilemma over whether to pursue disarmament while contending with a hostile Israel on its borders and a spiralling economic crisis. Majed also highlighted Hezbollah’s Lebanese roots, despite receiving funding and weapons from Iran, adding that many of its members come from villages destroyed by Israel. He added that Hezbollah and its allies represent the majority of Lebanon’s Shia community, one of the country’s largest minorities.