Egypt has called on the international community to increase support for Lebanon's armed forces as the country advances a plan to disarm Hezbollah and place all weapons under state control. Speaking in Cairo ahead of a conference in Paris next month, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty praised the Lebanese army for completing the first phase of the disarmament plan and said further backing is needed to finish the process.

Lebanon committed last year to disarming Hezbollah after the group was significantly weakened in a recent conflict with Israel. Despite limited resources, the army has dismantled facilities and tunnels and confiscated weapons, declaring in January that it had secured the area south of the Litani river. The next phase will focus on areas north of the river, a process expected to take several months.

Egypt said the broader goal is to ensure that all weapons are held exclusively by the Lebanese state. International representatives, including officials from Qatar, France, Saudi Arabia and the United States, attended the Cairo meeting. Abdelatty also called for Israel to halt its military actions and withdraw from Lebanese territory, as cross border strikes have continued despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024.