Lebanon's cabinet on Tuesday tasked the army with drawing up a plan to establish a state monopoly on arms by the end of the year, a challenge to Hezbollah, which has rejected calls to disarm since last year's devastating war with Israel.

Lebanon's Cabinet has set a deadline for Hezbollah to lay down its arms by the end of the year, the state NNA news agency reported on Tuesday. The decision reportedly came in a meeting at the presidential palace chaired by President Joseph Aoun,

Speaking to reporters at the conclusion of the session, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the army must draft its plan and present it before the government for review before Aug. 31.