Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced on Monday that the government has rejected any military or security actions launched from Lebanese territory outside the framework of state institutions.
Speaking after an emergency Cabinet session at the presidential palace in Baabda, Salam said, "The state announces its absolute rejection, without any ambiguity or interpretation, of any military or security actions launched from Lebanese territory outside its legitimate institutions."
The Cabinet session was chaired by President Joseph Aoun and attended by Salam, government ministers, and Military Chief of Staff General Rodolphe Haikal.
Salam stated that the Cabinet had decided on the "absolute rejection of any military actions outside the legitimate state institutions," emphasizing that "the decision of war and peace rests exclusively in the hands of the state." He added that this requires "the immediate prohibition of all security and military activities of Hezbollah, as they are outside the law, and obligating it to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese state and limit its work to the political sphere within constitutional and legal frameworks."
He described Hezbollah’s recent rocket fire at Israel as "a departure from Cabinet decisions," saying it contradicted the principle that decisions of war and peace are reserved solely for the Lebanese state and undermined the country’s credibility.
The Cabinet instructed all military and security agencies to take immediate measures to prevent any military operations, rocket launches, or drone attacks from Lebanese territory and to arrest violators in accordance with applicable laws.
In addition, the government requested that the Army Command begin immediately and firmly implementing the plan presented at the February 16, 2026, Cabinet session regarding the restriction of weapons north of the Litani River, using all necessary means to ensure its execution.
The Cabinet also called on guarantor states of the cessation of hostilities declaration to obtain a clear and final commitment from the Israeli side to halt all attacks across Lebanese territory, while reaffirming Lebanon’s full and final commitment to the terms of the declaration in order to preserve calm and stability.
The government expressed its readiness to resume negotiations on this matter with civilian participation and international sponsorship.
The Foreign Ministry was tasked with intensifying diplomatic contacts with the international community and friendly and brotherly states to halt what the Cabinet described as Israeli aggression and to implement relevant international resolutions.
The Social Affairs Ministry was instructed to secure shelter for displaced persons and provide food and essential supplies in coordination with the relevant ministries and agencies.
The session began with a minute of silence in memory of those killed in recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon, at the request of President Aoun.
Hezbollah had launched an attack on Israel in response to the killing of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei.