By Maya Gebeily and Maayan Lubell

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel is pressing Lebanon's army to be more aggressive in disarming the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah by searching private homes in the south for weaponry, three Lebanese security officials and two Israeli officials have said.

The demand has emerged in recent weeks and been rejected by Lebanon's military leadership, who fear it would ignite civil strife and derail a disarmament strategy seen by the army as cautious but effective, the Lebanese security officials told Reuters.

The army is confident it can declare Lebanon's south free of Hezbollah arms by the end of 2025, in line with a truce deal that ended a devastating Israeli war with Hezbollah last year.

A sweep of valleys and forests has located more than 50 tunnels and resulted in the confiscation of over 50 guided missiles and hundreds of other weapons, according to two Lebanese civilian sources briefed on army operations.

But the army's plan never included searching private property, according to the Lebanese security officials. Israel doubts it will succeed without such measures.

LEBANESE AND ISRAELI ARMIES MONITOR CEASEFIRE

Two of the Lebanese security officials said Israel requested such raids in October meetings of the "Mechanism", a U.S.-led committee bringing together Lebanese and Israeli officers to monitor........

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