Lebanon reiterates demand to limit weapons in state hands

Beirut, Aug 2 (Prensa Latina) Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed that no weapon outside state authority can be considered legitimate and defended the Army as the only force authorized to protect the country's sovereignty and unity.

August 3, 2026
09:50

In a message commemorating Lebanese Army Day, celebrated annually in early August, Aoun stated that the next stage requires the full deployment of the armed forces in southern Lebanon with each Israeli withdrawal.

“The Lebanese Army is not just any institution; it is the sole guarantor of Lebanon’s unity, sovereignty, and independence,” the president stated, according to a press release from the Presidency.

The Lebanese Government approved on August 5, 2025, to place all weapons, including those held by Hezbollah, under state authority and tasked the armed forces with preparing a plan to achieve that objective.

The Health Ministry noted that Army Day is being commemorated this year amid the Israeli offensive launched on March 2 against Lebanon, which has killed 4,333 people and injured 12,236.

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