Shafaq News – Beirut

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Friday that the government is working through Arab and international channels to halt Israeli military escalation and restore the cessation of hostilities agreement.

After meeting Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi in Bkirki, Salam emphasized that the cabinet has resolved to confine weapons to state institutions. He said the army has already submitted an implementation plan and is expected to present an updated report within a week.

His remarks came hours after Israeli forces carried out two deadly operations in southern Lebanon within 24 hours. On Thursday, an Israeli unit reportedly crossed more than one kilometer into the border town of Blida in the Marjayoun district, supported by military vehicles and all-terrain units. The troops stormed the municipal building, where employee Ibrahim Salameh was spending the night, and shot him dead, according to local sources.

Earlier today, Israeli fire targeted the nearby town of Kounin, killing one person and injuring another, the Health Ministry said.

The government’s new security approach has reignited political debate over Lebanon’s longstanding pledge to restrict weapons to legitimate authorities — a move widely seen as challenging Hezbollah’s independent arsenal. The plan assigns the Lebanese army responsibility for asserting exclusive state control over arms, in coordination with international partners.

Hezbollah has rejected the initiative, calling it a “grave sin” and maintaining that its weapons remain essential for defending Lebanon against Israeli attacks.

According to official data, Israeli operations since the November ceasefire have killed more than 300 people and wounded around 650 across Lebanon.