Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah confirmed on April 10 that the group was ready to enter talks with the Lebanese government on a national defense strategy.
The comments come after a senior official from the group told Reuters a day earlier that “Hezbollah was ready to discuss the matter of its arms with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun if Israel withdraws from the five points, and halts its aggression against Lebanese.”
Aoun, who is considered to be close to the United States, is set to start talks with Hezbollah about its weapons arsenal, three Lebanese political sources told the news agency.
In a televised speech, Fadlallah said: “We have expressed our readiness for dialogue to find a defense strategy for Lebanon.”
He noted that any meaningful discussions should focus on confronting Israeli “aggressions” and removing Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
“We are in constant contact with President Aoun. When he calls for dialogue and sets national foundations for it, we are ready,” he adds.
Hezbollah began launching attacks against the Israeli military on October 8 of 2023, a day after its ally, the Palestinian Hamas Movement, launched a surprise attack from the Gaza Strip into Israel. After taking heavy losses in the confrontation, the group agreed to a ceasefire last November.
The ceasefire, which was brokered by the U.S., was supposed to end all clashes on the Israeli-Lebanese border by February 18. However, the Israeli military continues to launch strikes against Hezbollah. It also maintains troops at five strategic points in southern Lebanon.
On April 10, at least two Israeli strikes targeted the outskirts of the the southern Lebanese town of Ayta al-Shab, damaging a bulldozer and a digger. Lebanon’s official National News Agency, which said that the strikes were a violation of the ceasefire, didn’t report any casualties.
Hezbollah, which once dominated the political scene in Lebanon and had military influence stretching from Syria, to Iraq and Yemen, is now going through one of its weakest phases. The group’s leadership appear to be willing to make serious concessions to survive.
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