Lebanese PM says army deployment in south restores state authority

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the army’s deployment in the south represents the restoration of the state’s authority and prestige, reaffirming the government’s determination to disarm Hezbollah as a step toward regaining control over decisions of war and peace with Israel.

Salam’s remarks came days after Army Commander Joseph Aoun received a letter from French President Emmanuel Macron inviting Lebanon to participate in a meeting in Paris next month, ahead of an international conference to support the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Speaking at the headquarters of the South Litani Sector in Tyre, Salam told military personnel, “Your presence in the south is not just a military deployment; it is the presence of the state. Wherever the army is deployed, the state regains its sovereignty, authority, and prestige.”

He added, “We want the south, like all of Lebanon, to be under the authority of a single state... for the country to enjoy stability as the state and its constitutional institutions reclaim the decision over war and peace.” He praised the military for their role “during one of the most sensitive periods our country has faced, bearing a pivotal responsibility in restoring full state sovereignty and extending its authority over all its territory.”

After a devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel that lasted more than a year and ended with a ceasefire in November 2024, the Lebanese government approved a plan to disarm Hezbollah, stipulating that weapons be restricted to legitimate forces, and tasked the army with implementing it.

Following renewed hostilities between the two sides on March 2, Lebanon and Israel began direct negotiations under US mediation, resulting in a framework agreement signed on June 21. The deal specifically called for Hezbollah’s disarmament, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied areas in southern Lebanon, and the deployment of the Lebanese army starting in designated “pilot” areas.

Hezbollah, backed by Tehran, rejects disarmament and direct negotiations between the two countries.

Lebanon has received international promises of support for its army for years, aiming to enable it to fulfill its duties amid shortages in equipment, personnel, and technical capabilities.

Paris will host a preparatory meeting on September 17 for an international conference to support the Lebanese army and security forces, originally scheduled for March. However, the outbreak of war between Hezbollah and Israel on March 2, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran, led to its postponement.

Salam affirmed the government’s efforts to “mobilize all possible Arab and international support to develop the army’s human resources and modernize its equipment,” noting that “the strength of the Lebanese army lies not only in its arms and equipment, but also in its unity.”

He called on military personnel to preserve the “unity” of their institution, saying, “Do not let the horrors of politics divide you, nor allow sectarian issues to infiltrate your ranks. Accept only the constitution and the law as your reference.” He stressed that Lebanese citizens have no choice but to have “one army, one flag, and one state” if they want to “succeed in lifting the country out of its crisis and saving their homeland.”