UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said on Thursday that peacekeepers "discovered a vast network of fortified tunnels in the vicinity of Tayr Harfa, Zibqin, and Naqura" in south Lebanon, including "several bunkers, artillery pieces, multiple rocket launchers, hundreds of shells and rockets, anti-tank mines, and other explosive devices."

Prime Minister Salam said in June that the Lebanese Army had dismantled more than 500 Hezbollah military positions and weapons depots in the south.

As Thursday's key cabinet meeting on the U.S. paper for Hezbollah's disarmament got underway, Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc called on the government to "correct the situation it has put itself and Lebanon in by slipping into accepting American demands that inevitably serve the interests of the Zionist enemy."

Lebanon's cabinet convened again on Thursday to discuss the thorny task of disarming Hezbollah, a day after the Iran-backed group rejected the government's decision to take away its weapons.

One person was killed Thursday when an Israeli drone bombed a car in the town of Kfardan west of Baalbek, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV said.

Brig. Gen. Iraj Masjedi, the assistant commander of Iran’s Quds Force for coordination affairs, said Thursday that “the project of removing Hezbollah’s arms in Lebanon is a failed scheme by America and the Zionist regime (Israel),” adding that “this dream will be buried with them.”

A U.S. congress member said Thursday that Washington will push Israel to withdraw from all of southern Lebanon if the Lebanese Army asserts full control over the country.

"We will push hard to make sure that there is — and this is something that I will work with the Israelis on — a complete withdrawal in return for the Lebanese Armed Forces showing its ability to secure all Lebanon," California Republican U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa said.

There is international relief over the Lebanese state’s initiation of economic reform and arms monopolization measures, Al-Arabiya television quoted sources as saying on Thursday.

The Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), General Rodolph Haykal attended the UK-hosted “Dragon Group” between 4-5 August, accompanied by UK Defense Attaché to Lebanon Lt Col Charlie Smith, reinforcing the strong military partnership between Lebanon and the UK.

The Dragon Group is a UK-led initiative launched in 2018 aboard HMS Dragon to bring together Chiefs of Defense from across the Middle Eastern region. Initially comprising nine nations, the group has evolved to reflect the region’s broader security landscape. "Lebanon’s inclusion this year underscores its strategic importance and longstanding partnership with the UK in promoting regional stability," the British Embassy in Beirut said Thursday in a statement.

The Lebanese Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who said overnight that the Lebanese government’s plan on arms monopolization “will fail.”

Lebanon's cabinet convened again Thursday to discuss the thorny task of disarming Hezbollah, a day after the Iran-backed group rejected the government's decision to take away its weapons.

All the ministers of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement were attending the session, except for Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, who is still abroad.

The government has decided to task the army with setting a plan to disarm Hezbollah.

AFP looks at how the government's decision may be implemented, and whether the Iran-backed militant group can still block it.