Lebanon tasks army with securing a monopoly on arms in challenge to Hezbollah

Lebanon's government on Tuesday tasked the army with drafting a plan by year’s end to restrict weapons solely to state forces, marking a significant step toward disarming Hezbollah. The plan, due by the end of August, sparked opposition from Hezbollah, who warned that it would not agree to any timetable for disarmament while Israeli aggression against Lebanon continues.