The Israeli enemy army walks back plans to disarm Hezbollah Lebanese resistance group, after two weeks in which it said it would insist on such a goal.
Israeli media outlets quoted a senior military official as admitting on Friday that its goal of disarming Hezbollah in Lebanon is unrealistic, “as it would require the military to launch a full-scale invasion of Lebanon,” according to The Jerusalem Post.
“The military also stated that it was unable to fully disarm areas of southern Lebanon in late 2024, but is making an effort to do so now. The IDF’s biggest challenge in disarming Hezbollah is likely caches of self-propelled rockets spread out north of the Litani River,” the JPost added, referring to Israeli occupation forces.
Ynet also reported the Israeli army remarks, saying the occupation military is shifting direction after two weeks in which it said it would insist on disarming Hezbollah.
“Today, Friday, the military is already emphasizing that its war aims are primarily to significantly weaken the organization and create a deep defensive line, including demolishing dozens of homes along the first line of villages, similar to the ‘yellow line’ model in the Gaza Strip,” Ynet added.
Regarding disarming Hezbollah, the Israeli army said “we must be modest about it,” according to Ynet, which added: “While officials stressed that only the IDF, and certainly not the Lebanese state or any other actor, could disarm Lebanon, they also emphasized that under current conditions the task is highly complex.”
Meanwhile, the Times of Israel reported that while the Israeli army aims to significantly weaken Hezbollah and remove the threat the Lebanese group poses to northern areas, “the prospect of fully disarming the group was unrealistic and not a required goal” of the ongoing ground offensive.
For its part, i24news Israeli media outlet said: “Ahead of the next phase of operations in Lebanon, the IDF is finalizing its deployment along what it defines as the “commanding terrain line,” a key axis in southern Lebanon designed to neutralize immediate threats to northern Israeli communities. Military officials say the current stage, focused on securing areas used for Hezbollah anti-tank fire and short-range rocket launches, is nearing completion.”
“According to the IDF, forces are expected to complete the stabilization phase in the coming days, consolidating control over elevated terrain roughly 8 kilometers from the border. This marks a significant milestone in the ground operation, which aimed to seize positions from which the majority of frontline threats were launched,” i24news added.
For weeks, Israeli forces have sought to advance into southern Lebanon, but their attempts of advance have been repeatedly stalled by fierce resistance from Hezbollah fighters, who have inflicted mounting losses on enemy troops.
This video shows footage from the Islamic Resistance's operation targeting two armored personnel carriers and a Humvee belonging to the “Israeli” enemy army in Al‑Bayada town, south Lebanon, with loitering gliders. pic.twitter.com/IuVKJLqnzs
— Al-Manar English (@manarenglish) March 31, 2026
Source: Israeli media (translated and edited by Al-Manar English Website)