Majority of Shi'ite voters back handing Hezbollah weapons to state

A new survey suggests that a majority of Lebanese Shi'ites now support transferring Hezbollah's weapons to the state.

Statistics Lebanon conducted the poll in September 2026, surveying 800 Lebanese Shi'ites. The results show that 66.4% of respondents favored handing over the group's weapons to the Lebanese state. Only 29.6% wanted Hezbollah to retain its arsenal. Hezbollah has historically argued that its military capacity is necessary for defending Lebanon against Israel.

The survey also measured public trust in national institutions. Approximately 78.5% of participants expressed trust in the Lebanese Armed Forces. Furthermore, 51.1% identified the army as the best institution to guarantee long-term security, compared to 16.5% who selected Hezbollah. The data indicates that 71.1% believe decisions regarding war and peace should rest exclusively with the state. Just 5.9% supported a larger role for Hezbollah's leadership in shaping the country's future.

Reactions to the group's recent performance remain divided. Sixty-seven point four percent of respondents stated that Hezbollah failed to meet its goals in the war with Israel or achieved only partial success. Forty-two point one percent expressed disappointment, anger, or concern about the leadership and the conflict's consequences. Despite this criticism, 59.5% still reported some level of trust in the group, with 37.1% indicating a great deal of trust. Roi Kais of Israel's public broadcaster KAN noted that Hezbollah's social support networks and status continue to sustain its strength, provided no other entity fills the vacuum.

This finding stands in contrast to a May 2026 survey by Lebanon's Information International, cited by researchers Orna Mizrahi and Moran Levanoni. That earlier poll found that 87.5% of Shi'ite respondents opposed disarming Hezbollah, with only 7.9% supporting the transfer of weapons. Mizrahi and Levanoni argued that the group's influence relies on its social and economic networks and historical political power. They stated that weakening Hezbollah would require a stronger Lebanese army and financial support from Western and Gulf nations to replace the services the group provides.

Hezbollah has announced financial aid for families whose homes were destroyed in the new war that began in March 2026. The group will provide up to $14,000 for eligible families in Beirut and its southern suburbs, and up to $12,000 for those elsewhere. In the southern city of Tyre, property owners reportedly opposed opening a branch of the Hezbollah-linked financial institution Al-Qard Al-Hassan in their building. They feared the location could be targeted in an Israeli strike, a risk that has materialized in previous conflicts.