US envoy says Israel should 'comply' with Lebanon plan to disarm militant groups

18/8/2025 19:00

Top U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack said on Monday Israel should comply with a plan under which Lebanese militant group Hezbollah would be disarmed by the end of the year in exchange for a halt to Israel's military operations in Lebanon.



The plan sets out a phased roadmap for armed groups to hand in their arsenals as Israel's military halts ground, air and sea operations and withdraws troops from Lebanon's south.



Lebanon's cabinet approved the plan's objectives earlier this month despite Hezbollah's refusal to disarm, and Barrack said it was now Israel's turn to cooperate.



"There's always a step-by-step approach, but I think the Lebanese government has done their part. They've taken the first step. Now what we need is Israel to comply with that equal handshake," Barrack told reporters in Lebanon after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.