Lebanese cabinet approves army deployment

The Lebanese cabinet today approved a plan to deploy the army south of the Litani River to extend government authority over the region, a key provision of the UN ceasefire plan that ended 34 days of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

But the decision left unclear what to do about Hezbollah’s presence and weapons in the region bordering Israel. It was widely believed, however, that the army did not plan to actively disarm the guerrillas but to allow Hezbollah fighters to store their weapons and lock up their bunkers.