Lebanese military to give plan to government on state control over weapons

(MENAFN)
The Lebanese army is set to present a detailed plan to the government next week to establish exclusive state control over weapons, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced.

“The course of exclusive state authority over weapons, the extension of its power, and its monopoly over decisions of war and peace has begun, and there is no turning back,” Salam stated during a meeting with US envoy Tom Barrack and his delegation.

According to a statement from Salam’s office, discussions with the US representatives focused on Lebanon’s domestic situation and the findings from the delegation’s regional visit.

Salam expressed gratitude for continued US support of the Lebanese army and called for increased financial and military aid, describing the military as a reliable pillar of national stability. He emphasized the need for clear international commitments, particularly from key donors, to back Lebanon’s forthcoming international conference on reconstruction and economic recovery.

The US delegation praised Lebanon’s efforts to centralize arms under state authority and implement financial and banking reforms, noting the importance of maintaining these initiatives "for the benefit of all Lebanese."

Earlier, on August 5, the Lebanese government approved a measure to consolidate all weapons under state control, assigning the army to develop a plan to achieve this by the end of the month and execute it before the close of 2025. Hezbollah criticized the decision, labeling it a “grave sin.”

The announcement comes against the backdrop of a major conflict with Israel, which began with a military offensive in Lebanon on October 8, 2023, and escalated into a full-scale war by September 2024, resulting in over 4,000 deaths and roughly 17,000 injuries.

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