The Lebanese government has asked the national army to prepare a plan to ensure only state institutions have weapons by the end of the year.

Such a move would effectively disarm Hezbollah, an Iran- backed Shiite political party and militant group in Lebanon. It comes as part of implementing a November 2024 ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah,

Lebanon's Cabinet has set a deadline for Hezbollah to lay down its arms by the end of the year, the state NNA news agency reported on Tuesday. The decision reportedly came in a meeting at the presidential palace chaired by President Joseph Aoun,