Trump Administration Pushes Lebanon to Disarm Hezbollah as Prerequisite for Ceasefire

by Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – The Trump administration is reportedly ramping up pressure on the Lebanese government to commit to Hezbollah’s disarmament, making it a central requirement for resuming ceasefire talks to halt Israeli military action in Lebanon.

According to Lebanese media and diplomatic sources, U.S. officials have presented a roadmap offering the withdrawal of Israeli Defense Forces from southern Lebanon and a halt to Israeli airstrikes–if Hezbollah disarms within a four-month period. The Shiite militia, which also operates as a political party in Lebanon’s parliament, immediately rejected the proposal, denouncing it as a “surrender.”

“We are a people who do not surrender,” Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said in a televised speech, rebuffing the U.S. plan and asserting that disarmament would serve only Israel’s interests. “Anyone calling today for the surrender of weapons, whether internally or externally, on the Arab or the international stage, is serving the Israeli project,” he added.

Hezbollah, long backed by Iran, is facing growing scrutiny at home and abroad. Following last year’s war with Israel–which resulted in the loss of senior commanders, thousands of fighters, and widespread displacement among its supporters–the group has come under internal pressure to scale back its arsenal. While Hezbollah has publicly vowed not to disarm, sources familiar with ongoing discussions say the group has privately weighed scaling back some of its missile and drone capabilities.

Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has signaled a shift. In remarks on Army Day, Aoun declared: “Lebanon is committed to asserting state authority across all its territory, to removing all weapons from armed groups–including Hezbollah–and to transferring these arms to the Lebanese army.” The Lebanese Cabinet is expected to hold formal talks on the issue next Tuesday, and Aoun is scheduled to address the nation on Friday.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, acting as Washington’s de facto envoy to Lebanon, has taken a leading role in negotiations. “The credibility of Lebanon’s government rests on its ability to match principle with practice,” Barrack wrote on X. “As its leaders have said repeatedly, it is critical that ‘the state has a monopoly on arms.’ As long as Hezbollah retains arms, words will not suffice.”

According to reports, Barrack has told Lebanese leaders that he will not return to Beirut without a formal commitment to Hezbollah’s disarmament. As an incentive, the U.S. and Gulf allies are offering economic aid packages to support Lebanon’s struggling economy. “Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and now the UAE are coming in and saying, ‘If we can get to where everybody can just calm down, we will help redevelop that portion of Lebanon,'” Barrack said.

The Gulf states have conditioned their support on Hezbollah’s disarmament. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s banking system is also tightening restrictions on the group’s financial operations. The central bank, Banque Du Liban, recently banned all domestic financial institutions from interacting with Al-Qard al-Hasan, a Hezbollah-run financial entity used to circumvent international sanctions. Kuwait followed suit, imposing its own sanctions on the organization.

Qassem, who rose to lead Hezbollah following the Israeli assassination of Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024, has accused the U.S. of using “intimidation and threats” to “aid Israel.” He acknowledged recent setbacks in the group’s internal security, including Israel’s infiltration of its supply chains and communication systems, which led to a wave of targeted assassinations and devastating pager-triggered attacks on September 17-18 that wounded thousands of fighters.

“We will not submit to Israel,” Qassem declared, vowing that Hezbollah will resist all disarmament demands and continue its presence in southern Lebanon.

Despite Hezbollah’s defiance, Lebanese President Aoun urged political factions to “seize the opportunity” and disarm. He added that the country would seek $1 billion annually over the next decade to bolster its army and security services–contingent on the consolidation of state authority and the removal of armed militias.

With Washington, the Gulf States, and the Lebanese government aligned on disarmament, Hezbollah now faces unprecedented political and financial isolation. The question remains whether the terrorist organization can withstand the pressure without triggering a broader regional confrontation.

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