France urges Lebanon to press ahead with weapons confinement
Shafaq News- Beirut
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Friday urged Lebanon to move forward “with determination” on confining weapons to state authority, stressing that progress must continue despite the difficulty of the task.
Speaking at a press conference at the Pine Residence in Beirut, Barrot —who recently concluded a visit to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region— called on Beirut to complete its plan to restrict weapons north of the Litani River, adding, “We must continue working firmly despite tensions in the region.”
Barrot identified security as the top priority, reaffirming France’s commitment to the November 27, 2024, ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel and its insistence on “full respect and implementation by all parties.” This, he explained, requires Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory, the protection of civilians from strikes, and continued action by Lebanese authorities and the army to confine weapons to state control.
While describing Iran as a “destabilizing force,” he urged Iran-aligned groups, including Hezbollah, to exercise “maximum restraint” in the event of a military confrontation between Tehran and Washington.
Ceasefire oversight is handled through the International Monitoring and Implementation Mechanism (IMIM), a US-French-sponsored body that includes Lebanon, Israel, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The mechanism is tasked with halting violations, facilitating Israel’s withdrawal to the southern border, supporting the release of Lebanese detainees, and backing the full deployment of the Lebanese Army under UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
However, violations have persisted since the truce, with Israeli forces continuing to hold five positions south of the Litani River and carrying out strikes across southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as Beirut’s southern suburbs. UNIFIL has recorded more than 10,000 Israeli violations, while Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports over 340 deaths and more than 970 injuries, including women and children. In response, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem warned that the group retains the capacity to strike Israel.
On the Lebanese side, the government in August 2025 tasked the army with drafting a plan to confine weapons to the state. The first phase, which focused on asserting control over areas south of the Litani River —a strip extending roughly 30 kilometers— was due to be completed by the end of 2025. In early January, the army announced it had entered an “advanced phase” after completing the initial stage.
Israel argues the measures remain insufficient, claiming Hezbollah is still armed, while the Lebanese group says it has complied with its obligations.
