Homeland Shield Plan

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Homeland Shield Plan
LocationLebanon
CauseUnited Nations Security Council Resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006)
MotiveEstablishing the sovereignty of the Lebanese state over all its territory and disarming militias.
Participants Lebanon
United States
Hezbollah

The Homeland Shield Plan (Arabic: خطة درع الوطن) Is a Lebanese government initiative, led by the Lebanese Army that has presented a roadmap for the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon, Mainly Hezbollah, aiming to centralize authority over arms in Lebanon. The plan that was introduced on September 2025, include 5 phases, beginning in South Lebanon and then extending nationwide.

Background

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For decades Lebanese governments have struggled to have state authority over arms in the country. Ever since the start of the Lebanese Civil War, many militias hold independent weapon arsenals, when the most notable one was Hezbollah, even though the government attempted to centralize control many times. International intervention as: United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006), explicitly called for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non Lebanese militias. But no government was able to implement these resolutions.[1][2][3]

The last few years have seen high tension and cross border armed clashes with Israel, which led after the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon to a major crisis in Southern Lebanon. The Iranian backed Hezbollah held on to most of its military strength, which made it difficult for the new Lebanese government to have control over arms in the country and enforce the international agreements.[2] This put the Lebanese government stuck between internal conflict, regional ones and international pressure to centralize weapons control.[1][2][3]

Implementation

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Following the 2024 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire agreement, the establishment of a new elected Lebanese government and international pressure, Lebanon's cabinet tasked the Lebanese Armed Forces in August 2025 to draw a plan for centralizing weapons control.[2] On September 2025, General Rodolphe Haykal presented the plan named "Homeland Shield" to the cabinet, which approved it. the plan is a 5 phase roadmap for the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon, starting in Southern Lebanon, in the area south of the Litani River, then moving up to northern areas, mainly aiming to dismantle Hezbollah's arsenal throughout Lebanon.[4][5]

Phases of Implementation

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The Homeland Shield Plan is divided into five phases:[6][7]

Phase 1

During this phase the Lebanese army will complete the disarmament south of the Litani River, where a substantial amount of weapons were already collected with the help of UNIFIL.[6][7]

Phase 2

Will expand operations to the north of the Litani River up to the Awali River, that is as the entryway to South Lebanon.[6][7]

Phase 3

Will concentrate on Beirut and its suburbs in order to centralize control in a politically sensitive area (Dahieh and Palestinian camps).[6][7]

Phase 4

Will focus on the Bekaa Valley region, extending disarmament reach into eastern Lebanon.[6][7]

Phase 5

the final phase of the roadmap will see further activities in the rest of the country, including northern parts of Lebanon, ensuring nationwide enforcement.[6][7]

The government supported the plan that most of its details were not published, as the implementation of phase 1 already began in early September in Southern Lebanon, where the army started collecting weapons and dismantling Hezbollah bunkers.[8][6]

Reactions

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The "Homeland Shield" roadmap that was approved by the government, caused a large political debate in Lebanon and brought International ones too.

Domestic

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  • Lebanese government. Supports the plan, but did not give a lay out a specific timeline for its implementation.[9]
  • Lebanese Information Minister. Information Minister Paul Morcos noted that further steps would depend on the cessation of Israeli strikes and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.[9]
  • Shiite Parties. They have walked out of the cabinet meeting on 5 September 2025, later to declare their objection to the roadmap, saying it is illegitimate.[13]

International

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The US, France, and other mediators connected the "Homeland Shield" Plan to keeping the ceasefire, supporting UN peacekeepers, and giving Lebanon economic aid. Experts warned it would only work with strong diplomacy and careful handling of clashes between armed groups.[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Masters, Jonathan. "Lebanon: How Israel, Hezbollah, and Regional Powers Are Shaping Its Future | Council on Foreign Relations". www.cfr.org. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "UNIFIL's Fork in the Road | The Washington Institute". www.washingtoninstitute.org. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Lebanon tells army to prepare plan to disarm Hezbollah by year's end". euronews. 6 August 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  4. ^ "National News Agency - "Arms restriction decision an irreversible Lebanese choice par excellence," underlines Chehade". National News Agency. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Lebanon cabinet welcomes army plan to disarm Hezbollah, no timeline given". Reuters. 5 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Lebanon's "Homeland Shield " to disarm Hezbollah begins in south of Litani and includes 5 phases, Minister – Ya Libnan". 6 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Arms collection roadmap: Lebanese Army maps out multi-stage disarmament plan—Key phases". LBCIV7. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Lebanon says army will begin implementing Hezbollah disarmament plan". The Economic Times. 5 September 2025. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Lebanon says army will begin implementing Hezbollah disarmament plan". Yahoo News. 5 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  10. ^ "Government to Tighten Control Over Weapons as Part of National Reform Plan, insists Salam". This is Beirut. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  11. ^ "Lebanese Govt Welcomes Army Plan to Disarm Hezbollah, Grants 'Operational Discretion'". english.aawsat.com. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  12. ^ "Government welcomes army's disarmament plan, Nawaf Salam reaffirms". L'Orient Today. 9 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  13. ^ "Shiite ministers walk out as Lebanon's Cabinet debates army plan to disarm Hezbollah". AP News. 5 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  14. ^ "Without a Hezbollah Disarmament Deadline, Lebanon Should Face Repercussions | The Washington Institute". www.washingtoninstitute.org. Retrieved 10 September 2025.