As the Lebanese Army takes steps to meet conditions on Hezbollah disarmament in the areas north of the Litani River, leadership weigh the risk of Hezbollah reprisals against the expansion of Israeli military operations in the south. 

After the Lebanese Army announced that it was ready to move to the next phase of the weapons restriction process, limiting armaments north of the Litani up to the Awali River, the United States Embassy in Beirut announced that “the US ambassadors in Beirut and Tel Aviv are committed to pushing Lebanon and Israel toward a lasting and effective peace through diplomacy and dialogue." Hezbollah has already refused to comply with this stage saying that the ceasefire agreement in force since 27 November 2024 has ended south of the river. 

@USEmbassyBeirut and @USAmbIsrael are committed to Lebanon and Israel moving towards a sustainable and effective peace through diplomacy and dialogue. This weekend, they were hosted by @USEmbassyJordan where they discussed steps needed for a more peaceful and prosperous region.

— U.S. Embassy Beirut (@usembassybeirut) January 26, 2026

Meeting between the Prime Minister and the head of the negotiating delegation.

Simon Karam: “The party has not provided information about its facilities.”

Also this weekend, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Ambassador Simon Karam, head of the negotiating delegation in the Mechanism Committee. Karam revealed that Hezbollah has not provided the Lebanese Army with any information about its weapons or facilities.

He said in an interview with Al Hadath TV, a Saudi-owned Arabic news channel, that there is firm adherence to the ceasefire Mechanism Committee and that a meeting should be held soon, adding: “We proposed the return of southerners as a basis for our negotiating position, and only the army dismantles Hezbollah’s military structure.”

🚨استهداف إسرائيلي جديد في منطقة صور - جنوب لبنان pic.twitter.com/2jXFccYQNU

— Annahar النهار (@Annahar) January 26, 2026

On the ground, an Israeli airstrike this afternoon targeted a car opposite “Center Kerez” on the Housh–Tyre road in southern Lebanon.

From the site of the attack (Ahmad Muntesh).

Earlier today, the Israeli army shot toward a group of young men who were reclaiming agricultural land east of the town of Yaroun in the Bint Jbeil district in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army claimed that it had targeted a Hezbollah operative.

The gunfire did not result in any injuries, while one of the vehicles operating at the site was damaged.

In the morning, the Israeli army fired bursts of machine-gun fire toward the outskirts of the town of Blida.

Raggi: Pressure on Israel 

Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi received French Ambassador Hervé Magro and discussed bilateral relations and developments on the international and domestic fronts, particularly the situation in southern Lebanon and the role of the Mechanism Committee, amid ongoing efforts to maintain stability.

He was also briefed by the Ambassador on France’s ongoing preparations to hold a conference in March aimed at supporting the Lebanese Army.

Raggi discussed southern developments and Army support conference preparations with the French ambassador.

Raggi stressed “the importance of exerting pressure on Israel to comply with the implementation of Resolution 1701 and the agreement on the cessation of hostilities, withdraw its forces from the five points it still occupies in Lebanon, release the detainees, and stop its violations and repeated breaches of Lebanese sovereignty,” affirming “the Lebanese government’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations related to the implementation of Resolution 1701 and the Cabinet decision to restrict weapons to the hands of the state across all Lebanese territory, in accordance with the plan set by the Lebanese Army.”