U.S. envoy Barrack arrives in Lebanon after Cabinet disarmament plan

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has arrived in Beirut for his fourth visit since June, seeking to reinforce a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, days after the Cabinet backed a plan to disarm Hezbollah and other non-state groups.

Barrack landed at Rafik Hariri International Airport on Sunday evening, where he was received by Rodrigue Khoury, deputy chief of protocol at the Foreign Ministry, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.

He first presented Washington’s 11-point plan in June and returned in July for follow-up discussions. The proposal calls for full implementation of the 1989 Taif Agreement and U.N. Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war.

It also seeks to extend state sovereignty across Lebanon, ensure weapons are held solely by official forces, and confirm the state’s exclusive authority in decisions of war and peace.

Political reaction

Lebanon’s Cabinet endorsed the objectives 10 days ago, provoking sharp opposition from Hezbollah, which rejected surrendering its arms. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Hezbollah’s position amounted to “a veiled threat of civil war.”

Ceasefire under strain

Cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began in October 2023 and escalated into full-scale war in September 2024, leaving around 4,000 dead, including Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah, and more than 17,000 wounded.

A ceasefire agreed in November has struggled to hold. Israel was due to withdraw from southern Lebanon by 26 January, later extended to 18 February, but still retains five border outposts. Israeli forces continue near-daily strikes, claiming to target Hezbollah positions.

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