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Lebanese Leader Demands Hezbollah to Hand Over Weapons

Gebran Bassil, leader of Lebanon's Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), has publicly criticized Hezbollah, accusing the militant group of losing its popular legitimacy in Lebanon's ability to defend the country. Once a strong ally of Hezbollah, Bassil now calls for Hezbollah to begin the process of disarming, particularly following the organization's agreement to a ceasefire with Israel. In a series of interviews with Arab media outlets over the weekend, Bassil stated that after Hezbollah's ceasefire deal with Israel, the group should have initiated its disarmament. He emphasized that Lebanon's future defense must be the responsibility of the Lebanese state, not a non-state actor like Hezbollah. Bassil pointed out that Iran had managed to protect itself without relying on Hezbollah, suggesting that Hezbollah’s weaponry no longer serves as a deterrent to Israel, neither inside Lebanon nor within the broader "axis of resistance." He also stated that Hezbollah’s arms could not protect Lebanon any longer and instead called for the group to contribute to the "Lebanese state-building project" and hand over its weapons to the government.