Hezbollah disarmament: The major hurdle to Middle East peace

Complex negotiations between Washington and Tehran are reportedly progressing slowly, with a leaked framework suggesting an initial phase focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, deferring the nuclear issue. However, a major stumbling block to Middle East peace remains the disarmament of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Since a ceasefire was signed in November 2024, ending a brief war between Israel and Hezbollah stemming from the Gaza conflict, Lebanon has not experienced lasting peace. The agreement theoretically mandated Hezbollah's disarmament, particularly south of the Litani River, in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from occupied southern Lebanese territory. Despite the accord, Israel has allegedly conducted near-daily bombardments on Lebanon for approximately 20 months, targeting Hezbollah positions but causing numerous civilian casualties. Washington, a supposed guarantor of the truce, has not imposed sanctions on Israel for these actions or for repeated violations of the Gaza truce, including insufficient humanitarian aid delivery. Israel justifies its actions by claiming the Lebanese army failed to disarm Hezbollah and regain control of the south. Lebanese officials argue that progress was made post-truce, but Israel's swift resumption of hostilities prevented further disarmament efforts. The disarmament of Hezbollah has become central to Lebanese politics and its relations with the United States. The goal of establishing the Lebanese Army as the country's sole armed force dates back to the 1991 Taif Accords, which ended the civil war and called for the disarmament of all militias, with Hezbollah being the exception due to its alliance with Syria. Another war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, which ended with an agreement that included Hezbollah's disarmament, also saw this clause go unimplemented for various reasons, including Syria's influence.