US Presses Lebanon for Hezbollah Disarmament Amid Escalating Israel Strikes

The United States is intensifying pressure on Lebanon to issue a formal cabinet decision committing to the disarmament of Hezbollah as a precondition for resuming negotiations aimed at halting Israel's military operations in southern Lebanon. Without this commitment, the U.S. will withdraw its envoy Thomas Barrack and cease mediation efforts, including urging Israel to stop airstrikes and troop deployments. Hezbollah, while publicly refusing full disarmament, has shown some willingness to reduce its arsenal, which has already diminished due to clashes with Israel and supply disruptions. Lebanese political figures, including Speaker Nabih Berri, have urged Israel to halt attacks first, a proposal Israel has rejected. Hezbollah representatives have condemned U.S. actions, accusing America of supporting Israeli aggression and interfering in Lebanon's internal affairs, while insisting the resistance will persist. U.S. envoy Barrack has emphasized that Lebanon's government's credibility depends on enforcing state monopoly over arms, warning that failure to disarm Hezbollah risks further destabilizing the country.