Why Disarming Hezbollah Won’t Be Like Disarming Hamas

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Lebanon still has a unique opportunity to accomplish the disarmament of the country’s infamous terrorist paramilitary.

The fragile US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that took effect on April 16 is already showing signs of strain. Following ambassador-level talks in Washington this week that secured a three-week extension of the truce, efforts are now focused on implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which at its core requires Hezbollah’s effective disarmament north of the Litani River and the restoration of Lebanese state sovereignty south of it. At the same time, Hamas continues to reject phased disarmament proposals from the Trump administration’s Board of Peace in Gaza, stalling reconstruction and prolonging uncertainty.

Both groups are Iranian-backed militant organizations that have survived major Israeli military campaigns. Both claim the mantle of “resistance” to the United States and Israel. Yet Hezbollah and Hamas cannot be regarded as interchangeable proxies. Their disarmament challenges are structurally distinct—a difference that gives Lebanon a narrow yet real window for progress that Gaza currently lacks.

The surface similarities are obvious. Both are battle-hardened, ideologically committed, and deeply rooted in their respective societies. Both have rebuilt after previous rounds of conflict and long received Iranian weapons, training, and funding. But the differences are more........

© The National Interest