Hezbollah Disarms: Major Shift After Nasrallah's Death & Lebanon War

Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, is contemplating significant disarmament following devastating losses in the 2023-2024 conflict with Israel. The group began attacking Israel on October 8, 2023, in solidarity with Hamas's October 7 invasion, but faced severe consequences. A devastating Israeli counter-operation in September 2024 used PETN-loaded pagers to wound nearly 3,000 Hezbollah members and kill at least twelve people. The same month, an Israeli airstrike killed Hassan Nasrallah, who had led the group for 32 years. Under the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah has already surrendered security control south of the Litani River to the Lebanese Armed Forces and transferred weapons depots. The group is now considering surrendering its strategic missile and drone arsenal, while retaining lighter weapons like antitank missiles, contingent on Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon. This represents a major strategic shift for the Iran-backed organization, particularly in light of recent Syrian regime changes that have weakened Hezbollah's regional position. Israel has maintained military pressure, with significant strikes continuing in southern Lebanon through June 2025.