The United States presented to Lebanon a proposal to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year, along with the end of Israel’s military operations in the country and the withdrawal of its five -position troops in the south of the country, according to a copy of a Lebanese cabinet agenda seen by Reuters.
The plan, presented by the envoy of US President Donald Trump, to the region, Tom Barck, which was being discussed at a Lebanese cabinet meeting on Thursday, establishes the most detailed steps so far to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, which rejected the growing requests for disarmament since the devastating war from last year with Israel.
Lebanon’s Information Minister Paul Morcos said after the cabinet meeting on Thursday that the cabinet approved only the goals of Barck’s plan, but did not discuss it completely.
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“We do not delve deeper into the details or components of the US proposal. Our discussion and decision were limited to their goals,” Morcos said.
The objectives of the US proposal would include the gradual elimination of the armed presence of non -state actors, including Hezbollah, the sending of Lebanese forces to the main internal and border areas, the guarantee of Israel’s withdrawal from the five positions, the resolution of prisoners through indirect conversations and the permanent demarcation of the Lebanon borders with Israel and Syria.
The US State Department did not immediately respond to a commentary request.
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Prime Minister Israeli’s office declined to comment, while the Ministry of Defense did not respond immediately.
Hezbollah made no immediate comment on the proposal, but three political sources said Reuters that the ministers of the group supported by Iran and its Shiite Muslim Allies withdrew from Thursday’s cabinet meeting in protest against discussions about the proposal.
Israel struck Hezbollah on an offensive last year, the climax of a conflict that began in October 2023, when the Lebanese group opened fire on Israeli positions on the border, declaring support to its Palestinian ally Militant Hamas at the beginning of the Gaza War.
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The US proposal aims to “extend and stabilize” a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel mediated in November.
Phase 1 of the plan would require the Beirut government to issue a decree within 15 days, committing to the full disarmament of Hezbollah until December 31, 2025. At this stage, Israel would also interrupt the terrestrial, air and maritime military operations.
Phase 2 would require Lebanon to begin to implement the disarmament plan within 60 days, with the government approving “a detailed mobilization plan (from the Lebanese army) to support the plan to place all weapons under state authority.” This plan would specify disarmament goals.
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During Phase 2, Israel would begin to withdraw from the positions he occupies in southern Lebanon and the Lebanese prisoners arrested by Israel would be released in coordination with the International Red Cross Committee (CIAB).
During phase 3, within 90 days, Israel would retreat from the last two of the five points that hold, and the financing would be guaranteed to start the removal of the rubble in Lebanon and the rehabilitation of infrastructure in preparation for reconstruction.
In phase 4, within 120 days, the remaining heavy weapons of Hezbollah should be dismantled, including missiles and drones.
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In phase 4, the United States, Saudi Arabia, France, Qatar and other friendly countries would organize an economic conference to support the Lebanese economy and reconstruction and to “implement President Trump’s view for Lebanon’s return as a prosperous and viable country.”
