The ceasefire deal stipulates that Lebanon’s military and security forces must have full monopoly over arms in the country [Getty]
Lebanon is drafting its response to demands delivered by top US envoy Thomas Barrack, who has called for the full disarmament of Hezbollah, improved ties with Syria, and sweeping financial reforms.
Barrack, the US special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey, visited Beirut on 19 June and is expected to return next week for Lebanon’s response to the US demands.
His visit adds pressure on Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shia group that emerged from last year’s war with Israel severely weakened and facing its worst financial crisis to date.
The group’s opponents in Lebanon have long called for its disarmament, along with other armed factions, to allow the state to assert full control, which has been a longstanding and divisive issue in the country.
Now, all eyes are on how the Lebanese government will respond, and how the US and Israel will react.
What does the US proposal entail?
Barrack reportedly handed Lebanese officials a six-page roadmap outlining Washington’s demands and requested feedback by 1 July, including any proposed amendments.
According to Reuters, the document focuses on disarming Hezbollah and other armed groups, restoring ties with post-Assad Syria, and launching deep financial reforms. It also pushes Lebanon to begin disarming Palestinian factions, a process that was supposed to start in mid-June in three refugee camps around Beirut but was delayed following internal disagreements among Palestinian groups.
The US plan proposes a phased disarmament of Hezbollah in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas in southern Lebanon. Barrack has said the disarmament should be completed by November or by the end of the year at the latest.
The plan also promises an end to Israeli strikes on Lebanon and the unlocking of reconstruction funds for areas devastated by the war.
According to the same sources, the roadmap includes a UN-overseen mechanism to facilitate the release of Hezbollah-linked prisoners held by Israel.
Barrack reportedly urged Lebanese officials to take the deal seriously, warning that the opportunity “may not come again”, however, the envoy had not yet secured Israeli approval for the plan.
The proposal also calls on Lebanon to open dialogue with the new Syrian government to finalise border demarcation and to carry out reforms to overhaul its collapsed economy, particularly targeting the banking sector, which has become a hub for money laundering since the 2019 financial meltdown.
Lebanon is currently grey-listed by FATF and flagged as a high-risk country by the European Commission.
Lebanese sources say the government is approaching the proposal with a “positive atmosphere” and is committed to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was adopted after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah but has never been fully enforced.
The resolution calls for the disarmament of all armed groups and the Lebanese army’s full control over the territory. It also demands an Israeli withdrawal, something that has only been partially fulfilled, with Israel retaining positions on five strategic hilltops near the border.
Israeli forces have continued to strike targets in Lebanon almost daily, saying the aim is to prevent Hezbollah from rearming. Lebanese officials have repeatedly called on the US and the international community to pressure Israel to end these attacks.
Lebanon says large parts of the southern region, especially those south of the Litani River, have already been cleared of Hezbollah weapons, with hundreds of arms caches dismantled.
How has Hezbollah responded?
Hezbollah has not issued a formal response to Barrack’s plan, but has rejected any externally imposed timelines and insisted it will not bow to US or Israeli pressure.
The group has previously said it is open to discussing disarmament only after Israel withdraws from remaining occupied positions in the south, releases Lebanese prisoners, and reconstruction of war-damaged areas begins.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, is reportedly consulting closely with the group on the roadmap.
Founded in the early 1980s with Iranian backing during Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon, Hezbollah maintained its weapons after Israel’s withdrawal in 2000. It claims its arsenal is essential to deter Israeli aggression and compensate for a weak Lebanese military.
But critics say Hezbollah has morphed into a “state within a state”, arguing that the group is no longer capable of confronting Israel after being battered in last year’s war.
Normalisation fears
While the US says its proposal is aimed at stabilising Lebanon by ending armed group control, fixing ties with Syria, and tackling economic collapse, some in Beirut fear it could open the door to normalisation with Israel.
Lebanese officials have denied engaging in any such discussions, insisting talks have focused solely on disarmament, ending Israeli occupation, and completing border demarcation.
Still, reports of direct Israeli-Syrian talks and speculation about a broader regional deal, potentially drawing Lebanon into the Abraham Accords, have raised concerns.
Some worry Washington’s plan could be a backdoor effort to nudge Lebanon toward diplomatic ties with Israel, a move widely opposed in the country.
