Dalena Reporters l Monday, March 2, 2026
BEIRUT — In a significant shift in Lebanese politics, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced on Monday that the Lebanese government has banned all military and security activities of Hezbollah, marking a dramatic effort to reassert state authority over armed operations in the country’s territory amid a widening regional conflict.
The announcement comes after a recent rocket and drone barrage launched by Hezbollah into northern Israel — actions that were part of broader hostilities linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The Lebanese government condemned Hezbollah’s use of force from Lebanese soil as “illegal” and outside the mandate of the state, asserting that decisions on war and peace should rest solely with official institutions.
In a televised statement following a cabinet meeting, Salam said the ban limits Hezbollah’s role to political activity only and rejects any armed operations directed from Lebanese territory without state approval. The government also instructed security forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces to prevent further launches of rockets or drones and to ensure that weapons are controlled by legitimate state authorities. Each act of unauthorized military aggression, the prime minister said, “endangers Lebanon’s security and provid[es] justification for external attacks.”
The decision aligns with longstanding efforts by Lebanese authorities to build state monopoly over arms — a complex issue tied to the Homeland Shield Plan and earlier attempts to disarm non-state armed groups under Lebanese law and international agreements — but has rarely been implemented with such forceful language until now.
Hezbollah, an Iran-aligned group with deep political influence and an armed wing, has justified its recent strikes as responses to Israeli action and as defensive measures. However, Lebanon’s leadership framed these activities as reckless provocations that risk drawing the country further into the wider regional war and complicating diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions.
The announcement could pose both legal and political challenges. Hezbollah remains one of Lebanon’s most powerful armed organisations, and past attempts to restrict its activities have met resistance or risked internal strife. Analysts have noted that turning the ban into reality could lead to clashes or require negotiated implementation with international mediation.
As the Middle East crisis continues to expand with cross-border military engagements, Lebanon’s government is signalling an unusually firm stance aimed at shielding its sovereignty and preventing further involvement in battles beyond its borders even as uncertainty looms over how Hezbollah will react to the new restrictions.