Lebanon must choose now: disarm Hezbollah, "or watch the slow, irreversible erosion of the state", said Hani Hazaimeh in Arab News (Riyadh). For decades, the Iran-backed Shia militia has been both part of Lebanese politics and a violent, disruptive force that "operates beyond government authority", wielding "enough influence to veto national decisions at will".

Before last year's war with Israel , it was stronger than the Lebanese army – boasting up to 50,000 active fighters and 200,000 rockets. But the war left Hezbollah severely weakened and reeling from the assassination of its long-time leader, Hassan Nasrallah , and many other senior figures in Israeli air strikes . The US has since piled on the pressure to bring Hezbollah's remaining weapons and troops under government c

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