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Israel·Lebanon·Middle East·Armed Conflicts·Diplomacy

Hezbollah vows to keep its weapons as Lebanon ceasefire begins first full day

Friday, 17 April 2026, 20:03 · 1 min read

A senior Hezbollah official has flatly rejected any possibility of the group disarming, even as a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon entered its first full day. Wafiq Safa, a prominent figure in the Lebanese Shia political and military organisation, told the BBC in an exclusive Beirut interview that "no one can disarm Hezbollah — no one," adding that any discussion of the group's weapons could only come after a full Israeli withdrawal, the release of prisoners, the return of displaced civilians, and reconstruction. Safa also described Hezbollah's relationship with Iran as "two souls in one body," saying the two are inseparable — remarks likely to deepen concerns among critics who argue the group serves Iranian strategic interests over Lebanese ones. His position stands in direct contradiction to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence that Hezbollah's disarmament is a non-negotiable requirement in any future talks with the Lebanese government, underscoring that the ceasefire may prove little more than a pause in a long-running conflict.

Sources
BBC Arabicمع بدء الهدنة في لبنان، قيادي رفيع لبي بي سي: "حزب الله يرفض التخلي عن سلاحه" ↗︎
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