UN chief backs Lebanon ceasefire and state weapons monopoly

The Guardian, Jerusalem Post and Times of Oman reported that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a diplomatic settlement respecting Lebanon's sovereignty, a comprehensive ceasefire, and a Lebanese government monopoly on weapons. The statement puts Hezbollah disarmament and Blue Line monitoring back into the diplomacy lane as Israel claims deeper ground control in south Lebanon.

Why this matters. The UN framing makes Lebanon's state-control question a live test for any ceasefire mechanism, not just a background slogan. Watch whether Beirut, UNIFIL, France, the U.S., Israel, or Hezbollah translate the wording into inspections, withdrawals, talks, or rejection.