As the Lebanese Army Holds Back, Hezbollah Holds On

As the Lebanese Army Holds Back, Hezbollah Holds On

HUGH FITZGERALD

Hezbollah, the Shi’a terror group in Lebanon that the IDF battered over the past two years, is now showing signs of rising like a most unpleasant phoenix from the ashes. Let’s remember what the Israelis accomplished until now. First, the IDF killed its charismatic leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and his successor Hashem Safieddine. Second, the IDF killed more than 5,000 Hezbollah combatants and commanders in 24 months of fighting. Third, the Mossad severely wounded, by means of the “exploding pagers,” about 4,000 Hezbollah fighters who are now unable to fight. Fourth, the Israeli Air Force, by repeated bombings, reduced Hezbollah’s store of 150,000 rockets and missiles to 20% of their prewar number. 

The Israelis, and the Americans, were hoping that such a reduction in Hezbollah’s fighting strength would allow an emboldened Lebanese Army to force Hezbollah to disarm. It hasn’t worked out that way. More on Hezbollah’s ability to resurrect itself, and to outface Lebanon’s national army, can be found here: “Israel, Hezbollah closest to war since ceasefire as group’s disarmament lags – analysis,” by Amichai Stein, Jerusalem Post, November 2, 2025:

Israel and Hezbollah are closer to war than they have been since the ceasefire agreement signed a year ago. Both sides currently understand the rules of the game, and yet those rules are becoming more dangerous by the day.

Two months after the Lebanese government decided to disarm Hezbollah, it appears the plan is not proceeding as intended.

“Hezbollah is rebuilding far more quickly than the Lebanese Army can disarm it,” Western intelligence sources told The Jerusalem Post last week.

There have been occasional attempts by the Lebanese army to confront the organization and act against its weapons stockpiles, but the pace is described as very slow.

The Americans provided the Lebanese government with $230 million in October to pay for more weapons for the national army. It’s not the first such aid package that Washington has provided. But it’s not a dearth of weapons that is holding the army back. It’s the poor morale — the fright that the fanatics of Hezbollah, those goose-stepping bezonians marching through southern Beirut to intimidate their foes, inspires in the Lebanese army’s recruits.

Israel is still willing to give the Lebanese army time to take on more Hezbollah combatants in order to disarm them. But the IDF’s patience is not unlimited. At some point, one too many Hezbollah rockets will hit Israel, and then, instead of tit-for-tat, the IDF will let loose with its wonted lethality.

Meanwhile, another infusion of American money and weapons for the Lebanese army may stiffen the spines of the reluctant disarmers. The American government might also offer to train Lebanese army troops, whether elsewhere in the region, or at stateside bases, in offensive operations, before sending them back to Lebanon deal more forcefully with Hezbollah. Our diplomats assigned to deal with the disarming of Hezbollah, Morgan Ortagus and Tom Barrack, will have to keep pressing the Lebanese President, the Christian Joseph Aoun, and the Prime Minister, the Sunni Nawaf Salam, making clear that all further American economic and military aid to Lebanon will be linked to how well the Lebanese Army performs what is now its main task — disarming the terror group that has brought down so much destruction on the country.