In a dramatic turn for Lebanon’s fragile security landscape, the country’s army has found itself out of demolition explosives after months of clearing Hezbollah weapons caches in the south, just as the clock ticks down toward a critical disarmament deadline. The shortage, confirmed by multiple officials and reported by Reuters and Daily Times, comes as the Lebanese military races to meet its year-end commitment to disarm the powerful Shi’ite militia under a ceasefire agreement with Israel.
The effort, unprecedented in Lebanon’s modern history, marks the first time the state has seriously attempted to dismantle Hezbollah’s vast arsenal—long considered untouchable due to the group’s political and military dominance. Yet, the tides have shifted. According to Reuters, Hezbollah suffered devastating losses during last year’s war with Israel, losing thousands of fighters and top leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah, while more than 1,100 civilians perished and southern Lebanon was left in ruins. Daily Times echoes that Israel’s offensive “significantly weakened the group,” with widespread destruction in both southern and eastern regions.
Despite these setbacks, Hezbollah remains a formidable force, and the disarmament process is proving both dangerous and politically fraught. The Lebanese army, aided by intelligence from a multinational truce monitoring body known as “the Mechanism”—which includes the US, France, Israel, Lebanon, and UN peacekeepers—has located nine new arms caches and sealed dozens of tunnels since September 2025. However, the lack of demolition charges has forced troops to seal off, rather than destroy, the newly discovered sites, as they await resupply from the United States.
Washington has pledged $14 million in demolition charges and $192 million in broader military support, but deliveries could take months. In the meantime, the army’s operations have accelerated, even as resources dwindle. “The army is betting on time,” a Lebanese official close to Hezbollah told Reuters, highlighting the urgency and delicacy of the mission.
The November 2024 ceasefire, which ended more than a year of bloody conflict, requires Lebanon to ensure that only state forces hold weapons—an enormous challenge in a country where militias have often wielded more power than the national government. The army aims to clear the south by December 31, 2025, but extending the campaign northward and eastward is fraught with political risk. In September, the Lebanese cabinet adopted a five-phase plan to extend the state monopoly on arms beyond the south, but officials openly admit that moving too quickly could provoke clashes with Hezbollah fighters or protests from its Shi’ite supporters.
Hezbollah, for its part, has so far not opposed the seizures of unmanned stockpiles in the south and has refrained from firing on Israel since the truce. However, it has drawn a red line elsewhere. The group insists that disarmament applies only to the south and that any broader move must be the result of national political consensus. In a recent speech, Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem described the army’s approach as “good and balanced” but warned against actions that could spark confrontation with the Shi’ite community.
Complicating matters further, Lebanese troops have reported Israeli fire and drone grenade attacks during their inspection missions. According to Reuters and Daily Times, several soldiers have been injured, and six were killed in August 2025 while dismantling a depot. The Israeli occupation of five hilltops inside Lebanese territory has also slowed operations. When Lebanese troops attempted to build a simple watchtower to monitor the border, Israel objected, leaving the site unmanned—a stark reminder of the region’s volatility.
The United States continues to press Beirut to maintain momentum. Deputy Middle East Envoy Morgan Ortagus is in Lebanon this week, meeting with military and political leaders to discuss progress. American officials have praised Lebanon’s decision to confront Hezbollah as “historic and courageous,” but they have also warned that failure to meet the December deadline could invite Israeli action. As one U.S. official cautioned, “the world is closely watching its outcome.”
For the Lebanese army, success in the south would mark a remarkable transformation. Not long ago, the institution stood aside as Hezbollah rebuilt after the 2006 war. Now, with international backing and a sense of urgency, the army is taking center stage in efforts to restore state authority. Yet, the next phase—tackling Hezbollah’s vast arsenals in the Bekaa Valley and beyond—may prove even more perilous without national unity and sustained international support.
The campaign’s reliance on “the Mechanism” underscores the importance of international cooperation. Intelligence sharing between Lebanon, the US, Israel, France, and UN peacekeepers has been vital for locating hidden arms and tunnels. Still, progress remains fragile, hampered by sporadic Israeli fire and the ever-present risk of political backlash at home.
Lebanese officials acknowledge the stakes are high. Moving too quickly, they warn, could risk confrontation with Hezbollah’s supporters or even fracture the army itself—a scenario that brings back memories of the country’s 15-year civil war. The delicate balancing act is further complicated by the delayed arrival of crucial US-supplied explosives and ongoing regional tensions.
Despite these obstacles, the Lebanese army has vowed to complete the disarmament of the southern region by the end of the year. However, the broader goal of extending state control over all weapons remains uncertain. Hezbollah’s insistence on a national political agreement for any further disarmament means that, for now, the group’s influence persists outside the south.
As the December 31 deadline approaches, Lebanon stands at a crossroads. The outcome of the army’s campaign could reshape the country’s security and sovereignty for years to come. Whether the state can assert its monopoly on arms—and whether international support will prove sufficient—remains to be seen. For now, the world watches as Lebanon’s army, short on explosives but not on resolve, walks a tightrope between hope and upheaval.
