Hezbollah's Qmati rejects 2nd phase of disarmament, warns of civil war

Hezbollah political bureau member Mahmoud Qmati warned Wednesday against the government's approach to Hezbollah's disarmament, saying that it could lead to a civil war.

Qmati said there will be no talk or dialogue regarding the disarmament of Hezbollah north of the Litani river before Israel withdraws from all Lebanese territories.

"The only solution to keep Lebanon in a state of stability is to reach a national defense strategy," Qmati said, calling for an inter-Lebanese dialogue.

Under U.S. pressure and fearing expanded Israeli strikes, Lebanon has committed to disarming the Iran-backed Hezbollah, which was badly weakened in more than a year of hostilities with Israel that largely ended in late 2024.

Despite a ceasefire reached in November, Israel has kept up regular strikes on Lebanon, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah, and has maintained troops in five south Lebanon areas it deems "strategic".

Last week, Lebanon's army said it had completed the first phase of its plan to disarm the group, covering the area south of the Litani river, around 30 kilometers from the Israeli border.

A plan for the disarmament north of the Litani is to be presented to cabinet next month.

In a televised interview, Qmati said the path taken by the state will lead Lebanon to "instability and chaos", and "perhaps to a civil war". He accused some people in the government of making "free" concessions to Israel for nothing in return and of "implementing external dictates".

Lebanon's army has dismantled tunnels and other military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah near the Israeli border in recent months, seizing weapons and ammunition, despite its limited capacities.

Israel, which accuses Hezbollah or rearming, has criticized the army's progress as insufficient.

"The army's mission should not be to protect Israel from any military action from Lebanon. It should rather be to confront Israel, which occupies Lebanon," Qmati said, adding that the army and its leadership are wise and will not confront their people and that the resistance will not be dragged to a confrontation with the army.

Lebanon said Wednesday that a conference in support of the country's army, which lacks funds, equipment and technical expertise, would take place in Paris on March 5.