Shafaq News – Beirut

Hezbollah has categorically denied reports that it is preparing for a confrontation with the Lebanese state, following claims broadcast by Saudi-owned channels Al Arabiya and Al Hadath that its military wing had refused to disarm, even if Israel were to withdraw from Lebanese territory.

In a statement released Wednesday, Hezbollah’s media relations office dismissed the reports as “fabricated lies,” accusing the two networks of pushing “suspicious agendas aimed at sowing confusion and destabilizing Lebanon.”

The group urged all media outlets to disregard the claims and to consult official Hezbollah channels for its positions.

The allegations, attributed to unnamed sources, suggested that Hezbollah had informed Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri that it would not surrender its weapons under any circumstances, and was even prepared to clash with the state if forced to do so. According to the same sources, Speaker Berri relayed to US envoy Tom Barrack that he could not guarantee Hezbollah’s disarmament north of the Litani River, an area demarcated under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.

The sources further claimed that frustration is mounting within Lebanon’s political leadership over what is seen as Hezbollah’s refusal to seize what some officials regard as a critical opportunity to reassert state sovereignty. Senior figures within the presidency and the cabinet are reportedly advocating for a renewed commitment to limit the possession of arms to official state institutions.

On Tuesday, Barrack addressed the issue in an interview with Lebanon’s Al Jadeed TV, assuring that Lebanon would not be subjected to a second war with Israel, signaling that a diplomatic solution remained possible. He described the disarmament question as part of a phased process with clearly defined deadlines, including one set for August 1.

The US envoy characterized his recent meeting with Speaker Berri as “exceptional,” but cautioned that “time is running out for everyone, and there is no room for delay,” adding that a window still exists to reach an agreement supported by key regional stakeholders.