Netanyahu praises Lebanese government decision to disarm Hezbollah, says Israel ready to support

On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement praising the recent steps taken by the government of Lebanon to pursue the disarming of the Shia terror group Hezbollah.

“Israel acknowledges the significant step taken by the Lebanese Government, under the leadership of President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam,” the statement said. 

“The recent decision by the Council of Ministers to work towards the disarmament of Hezbollah by the end of 2025 was a momentous decision,” Netanyahu continued. ”It marks a crucial opportunity for Lebanon to reclaim its sovereignty and restore the authority of its state institutions, military, and governance – free from the influence of non-state actors.” 

The prime minister’s statement also claimed that Israel is ready to help the Lebanese government achieve its goal of disarming Hezbollah. 

“In light of this important development, Israel stands ready to support Lebanon in its efforts to disarm Hezbollah and to work together towards a more secure and stable future for both nations,” Netanyahu stated. 

Netanyahu also pledged that if Lebanon takes “the necessary steps” to disarm Hezbollah, Israel would withdraw from the five security outposts the IDF currently maintains in southern Lebanon.

“If the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) take the necessary steps to implement the disarmament of Hezbollah, Israel will engage in reciprocal measures, including a phased reduction of IDF presence in coordination with the US-led security mechanism,” he continued. 

As part of the ceasefire agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon in November 2024, Israel agreed to withdraw its troops from Lebanese territory. However, the withdrawal was conditioned on the Lebanese government being the sole bearer of arms in the country and on its taking steps to remove all Hezbollah forces from south of the Litani River.

In the meantime, Israel has not only maintained a security presence in southern Lebanon, but it has continued to conduct strikes against Hezbollah which it considers to be a violation of the ceasefire agreement. 

“Now is the time for both Israel and Lebanon to move forward in a spirit of cooperation, focusing on the shared objective of disarming Hezbollah and promoting the stability and prosperity of both nations,” Netanyahu concluded. 

The statement comes a day after Netanyahu met with Tom Barrack, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and envoy to Syria and Lebanon, to discuss the situation in both countries. The meeting was also attended by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

Last week, Barrack said that Lebanon was fulfilling its responsibilities in the ceasefire agreement and called on Israel to reciprocate. 

“I think the Lebanese government has done their part. They’ve taken the first step. Now what we need is Israel to comply,” Barrack said following a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Beirut. 

Barrack has been working for weeks to strengthen the ceasefire agreement, achieve the disarmament of Hezbollah, and hopefully achieve a normalization agreement between Israel and Lebanon as part of Trump’s push for economic incentives to reshape the Middle East. 

Around the same time, Axios reported that the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump had asked Israel to reduce “non-urgent” strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon in an effort to support the Lebanese government. 

Since the signing of the ceasefire, Israel has carried out more than 500 airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Under the agreement, it is permitted to strike immediate Hezbollah threats but must refer long-term threats to an oversight committee that includes both Lebanese and U.S. officials.

Israel says Hezbollah has continued to try to rebuild its military capabilities and infrastructure in Lebanon, including south of the Litani River. 

Hezbollah has rejected calls to disarm, saying the Lebanese government’s decision only serves Israel’s interests. It has even threatened civil unrest over the disarmament issue.