The Lebanese government on Tuesday approved a decision mandating the Lebanese Army to draft an implementation plan for placing all weapons under state control by the end of 2025. 

The decision, taken during a Cabinet session at Baabda Palace chaired by President Joseph Aoun, comes as Lebanon seeks to reestablish the state’s exclusive authority over security matters, amid growing political momentum for disarming non-state actors.

Under the directive, the army must submit its implementation plan to the Cabinet by August 31. The framework would restrict the legal possession of arms to six official state security institutions — the Lebanese Armed Forces, Internal Security Forces, General Security, State Security, Customs, and municipal police — all recognized in prior agreements as the only legitimate bearers of arms.

Speaking to reporters following the six-hour session, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the decision marked a significant milestone in restoring the Lebanese state’s authority across its entire territory.

“The government has tasked the army with preparing a practical plan to ensure all weapons are confined to state institutions by year’s end,” Salam said.

Salam emphasized that the decision is rooted in a series of binding national and international frameworks:

• The 1989 Taif Accord, which forms the foundation of the current Lebanese Constitution, calls for restoring the state’s authority throughout Lebanese territory using its own forces. It also mandates the liberation of any occupied land and the deployment of the Lebanese Army along internationally recognized borders.

• The Cabinet’s ministerial statement, which won a confidence vote in February with the support of 95 lawmakers, reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to national defense and full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, stressing the importance of respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and right to self-defense as enshrined in the UN Charter.

• President Aoun’s inaugural address in January 2025, which the current government has pledged to uphold, reiterated the state’s exclusive right to arms.

• A Cabinet consensus in November 2024 on the arrangements for the cessation of hostilities reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to UN resolutions that call for the disarmament of all armed groups. That agreement specified that only state-sanctioned security agencies should be allowed to carry weapons.

U.S. Proposal Under Review

The Cabinet also reviewed a proposal put forward by U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack to extend and reinforce the ceasefire arrangements agreed upon in November 2024, in a bid to pave the way for a comprehensive and durable resolution. The proposal incorporated several amendments requested by Lebanese officials.

The Cabinet is set to reconvene on Thursday, August 7, to continue reviewing the U.S. plan and discuss its potential implications for Lebanon’s security strategy and national sovereignty.