BEIRUT/JERUSALEM: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Thursday that he was determined to disarm Hezbollah, a step it has come under heavy US pressure to take, despite the group’s protests that doing so would serve Israeli goals.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has reaffirmed his government’s intention to assert full state authority over its territory, including a controversial plan to disarm Hezbollah. The announcement came during a speech marking Army Day on Thursday, signaling a pivotal moment for the country’s internal stability and its volatile relationship with Israel.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has reiterated calls for Hezbollah to disarm. He made the comments Thursday during a speech marking Army Day in Lebanon as pressure rises from the United States.