March 2, 2026
Lebanon Bans Hezbollah’s Military Activities, Demands Disarmament
The Lebanese government on Monday, March 2, 2026, announced an immediate ban on all military and security activities of Hezbollah, and ordered the group to turn in its weapons. The decision came after Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching rockets and drones toward Israel in retaliation for the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The move signals a significant escalation in tensions within Lebanon and the wider region.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced the government’s rejection of “any military or security actions originating from Lebanese territory outside the framework of its legitimate institutions.” The statement followed an emergency government meeting held at the Presidential Palace.
“The government confirms that the decision on war and peace rests solely with it,” Salam added. “This necessitates the immediate ban on all of Hezbollah’s military and security activities, considering them outside the law, and obligating it to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese state and confine its work to the political sphere within constitutional and legal frameworks. This will reinforce the state’s exclusive control over the employ of force and enhance its full sovereignty over all its territory.”
The Lebanese authorities have directed all military and security agencies to immediately implement these decisions, including preventing any military operations or the launching of rockets or drones from Lebanese territory, and arresting those who violate the directives. The government as well referenced a need to prevent any military action, echoing concerns raised previously about the potential for wider conflict.
Hezbollah condemned the Lebanese government’s decision. In a statement, Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc leader, Mohammad Raad, criticized the government’s “bellicose” decisions “against the Lebanese who reject the occupation,” accusing them of violating peace. “The Lebanese were expecting a decision to ban aggression, but instead they are facing a decision to ban rejecting aggression,” Raad said. He urged the government to “keep the country away from creating additional problems that could escalate the already tense situation.”
Israel Responds to Hezbollah Rocket Fire with Dozens of Strikes Inside Lebanon
The unprecedented decision against Hezbollah, which holds representation in the government and parliament, came hours after the group announced it had targeted the “Mashmar HaKarmel” missile defense site belonging to the Israeli military south of the city of Haifa with “a salvo of qualitative rockets and a swarm of drones.” Hezbollah described the attack as retaliation for the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The Israeli military said it intercepted a projectile launched from Lebanon, while other projectiles fell in open areas within Israel.
In response, Israel is currently conducting strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut and other areas of Lebanon, targeting several headquarters of Hezbollah’s “Al-Qard al-Hasan” (Good Loan Fund). The Israeli military issued warnings to evacuate more than 16 villages and towns in southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as the Burj al-Barajneh neighborhood in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Avichay Adraee, the spokesperson for the Israeli military for Arab media, released a statement via X stating that the military had “just completed a wide wave of strikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. The strikes targeted more than 70 Hezbollah targets, including weapons depots, launch points, and missile platforms in several areas.” Israeli Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, stated, “We will not stop this campaign only by striking Iran, but also by delivering a devastating blow to Hezbollah.”
Numerous countries consider Hezbollah, or its military wing, a terrorist organization, including the United States, the European Union, Britain, and others. Germany banned Hezbollah’s activities on its territory in 2020 and classified it as a “terrorist organization.”
