Lebanon has launched an effort to disarm Palestinian groups operating outside refugee camps, targeting factions previously aligned with the former Syrian regime. These groups had maintained a presence in areas like the Bekaa region, southern Beirut, and along the Syrian border.

On Saturday, the Lebanese Army announced it had taken control of three military sites previously operated by two Palestinian factions tied to the regime of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Two of the sites, located in western and central Bekaa, were controlled by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command. The third, a training camp in Rashaya, belonged to the Fatah al-Intifada faction.

A security source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Army’s Intelligence Directorate had been working on this issue for some time and was close to resolving it entirely. The source noted that the well-known "Naameh Tunnel" south of Beirut was nearly vacated, with only a handful of aging personnel remaining, armed with obsolete weapons.

The Army has confiscated significant amounts of weapons, ammunition, and military equipment from these locations. It announced plans to continue taking over such sites to ensure security and extend state authority across Lebanon. Photos released by the Army showed armored vehicles entering the areas and crates of ammunition and military gear.

This development follows a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, which included provisions to dismantle unauthorized military sites and confiscate unlicensed weapons, starting in areas south of the Litani River. However, efforts to collect Palestinian weapons outside the camps date back to a 2006 national dialogue conference, where participants agreed to regulate these arms. That agreement, however, had remained unfulfilled.

According to a Lebanese security source, the latest actions are not directly tied to the ceasefire deal but rather to the collapse of the Syrian regime that had supported and supplied these factions. When Syrian-backed fighters fled their posts, the Lebanese Army stepped in to secure the sites.

Hisham Dabbousi, Director of the Center for Development Studies, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the reclaimed sites were under the control of factions like the Popular Front – General Command and splinter groups from Fatah, many of whom were linked to Syrian intelligence. He said the current disarmament should have occurred when UN Resolution 1559 was passed, requiring the removal of Palestinian weapons both inside and outside the camps. Resistance from Hezbollah, however, delayed its implementation.

Dabbousi highlighted two key factors that have now made this possible: the enforcement of UN Resolution 1701, which builds on earlier disarmament efforts, and the sudden collapse of the Syrian regime. Without the Syrian regime's support, these factions have lost their ability to sustain their operations.

He added that Lebanon is now in a position to fully extend its sovereignty, disarming all armed factions outside refugee camps and, eventually, those within them.

Despite these moves, the disarmament of Palestinian factions is unlikely to lead to Hezbollah relinquishing its weapons or control of positions north of the Litani River in the near future. Sources indicated that such a shift would require major political decisions that have yet to materialize.