Defence: Hezbollah ready to talk with Lebanese government

Hezbollah lawmaker, Hassan Fadlallah on Thursday said the Iran-aligned group was ready to enter talks with the Lebanese government on a national defence strategy, with the focus on ensuring the removal of Israeli troops from Lebanon's territory.

US-backed President Joseph Aoun, who pledged to establish a state monopoly on the control of arms when he took office in January, is reportedly set to start talks with Hezbollah about its weapons arsenal.

Hezbollah, one of the world's most heavily armed non-state groups, emerged severely weakened from the 2024 conflict with Israel, which was triggered by the Gaza war.

The group also suffered heavy losses, including the killing of its top leaders and thousands of its fighters.

The blow was reportedly compounded when its ally Bashar al-Assad was toppled from power in Syria, cutting the group's supply lines from Iran.

Fadlallah, in a televised speech, said: “We have expressed our readiness for dialogue to find a defense strategy for Lebanon.”

According to him, any meaningful discussions should focus on confronting Israeli aggression and removing Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.

“We are in constant contact with President Aoun. When he calls for dialogue and sets national foundations for it, we are ready,” he added.

Israel, which sent ground troops into south Lebanon during the war, has largely withdrawn, although it decided in February not to leave five hilltop positions.

It said it intended eventually to hand them over to Lebanese troops once it was sure the security situation allowed.