Cabinet backs army plan to bring Hezbollah weapons under state control

Lebanon’s government on Friday took a tentative step toward ending the country’s long-standing armed parallel to the state, welcoming an army plan to bring Hezbollah’s weapons under state control even as the powerful Iran-backed group rejected any move to disarm and several Shiite ministers walked out of the cabinet meeting. The three-hour session at the presidential palace in Baabda included a presentation of the plan by the army commander and set a further cabinet review for early September, officials said.

Information Minister Paul Morcos told reporters the cabinet had welcomed the army’s proposal but stopped short of formally adopting a timetable. He said the military would begin executing the plan according to its logistical and personnel capabilities and that some details would remain confidential. Officials also said the cabinet will reassess the plan on September 5 as the government seeks a detailed framework for restricting private arms and consolidating control under state institutions.

Hezbollah leaders immediately and forcefully rejected the initiative. Deputy leader Naim Qassem warned that surrendering the group’s arsenal would undermine its capacity to resist...