Lebanese Shi'ites favor state control of Hezbollah weapons, poll shows

Statistics Lebanon released the results of a September survey showing that a majority of Lebanese Shi'ites now support transferring control of Hezbollah's weapons to the state. The study polled 800 members of the community and found that 66.4% backed handing over the arsenal. Only 29.6% wanted the group to keep its weapons.

The findings indicate a shift in public opinion within the sect that has historically supported the militant group. Respondents also expressed strong preference for state authority in national decisions. Seventy-one percent said decisions on war and peace should rest solely with the Lebanese state. Just 5.9% believed Hezbollah's leadership should play a larger role in shaping the country's future.

Trust in the Lebanese Armed Forces appears high among the surveyed population. About 78.5% of respondents said they trusted the army. More than half, 51.1%, identified the military as the institution best suited to guarantee long-term security. Only 16.5% chose Hezbollah for that role.

Sentiment regarding the group's performance remains mixed. Sixty-seven percent stated that Hezbollah failed to meet its goals in the war with Israel or achieved only some of them. Forty-two percent expressed disappointment or anger about the group's leadership and the conflict's consequences. Despite these criticisms, 59.5% still expressed some trust in the organization, with 37.1% reporting a great deal of trust.

The data contrasts with an earlier survey cited by researchers at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies. A May 2026 poll by Information International found that 87.5% of Shi'ite respondents opposed disarming Hezbollah. Only 7.9% supported giving up the weapons in that earlier count. Researchers Orna Mizrahi and Moran Levanoni noted that differences in wording or agenda may have influenced the varying results.

Hezbollah has continued to provide financial support to affected families. The group announced aid of up to $14,000 for eligible families in Beirut and its southern suburbs whose primary homes were destroyed. Families elsewhere can receive up to $12,000 in assistance.

In the southern city of Tyre, local residents opposed opening a branch of the Hezbollah-linked financial institution Al-Qard Al-Hassan in their building. Property owners feared the branch could be targeted in an Israeli strike, as similar branches have been hit in the past. The group suffered major losses in leadership and military capacity, including the killing of Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024.