Lebanese PM Presses Rubio on Hezbollah Disarmament, Israeli Withdrawal

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam pressed for further implementation of a US-backed framework with Israel during talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Monday.

Salam said the discussions focused on restoring Lebanon’s full sovereignty and moving the agreement from principles to practical steps on the ground.

According to Salam’s office, he called for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. He also said all weapons in the country should be placed exclusively under state control, a move that would require Hezbollah’s disarmament.

Rubio said the United States strongly supports Lebanon as it implements the trilateral framework. He described the agreement as a path toward durable peace with Israel. He also said Washington supports a sovereign Lebanon free from Hezbollah and Iranian influence.

Israel and Lebanon agreed in June to a framework providing for a phased Israeli withdrawal and the disarmament of Hezbollah. Implementation has since moved slowly, with Hezbollah continuing to reject demands that it surrender its weapons.

The agreement also calls for the Lebanese Armed Forces to take control of areas vacated by Israeli troops and prevent Hezbollah from operating there.

Salam called for a clear timetable for the withdrawal and a verification mechanism to ensure both sides meet their commitments. He also asked Washington to continue supporting the Lebanese military as it expands state control in the south.

The Lebanese government has increasingly pushed for all weapons in the country to come under state authority. In March, Salam’s cabinet ordered Hezbollah to surrender its weapons and barred the group from carrying out military or security operations outside state institutions.

Meanwhile, the IDF said Monday that it had completed a major operation against Hezbollah infrastructure in the southern Lebanese town of Mansouri.

Israeli troops destroyed more than 600 Hezbollah sites during the operation, including eight tunnels and dozens of rocket launchers, according to the military.

Israel says continued military activity in southern Lebanon is necessary to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its presence near the border. Lebanese officials, however, have continued to demand a full Israeli withdrawal as part of the framework’s implementation.