Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Thursday that he was determined to disarm Hezbollah, a step it has come under heavy US pressure to take, despite the group's protests that doing so would serve Israeli goals.

BEIRUT (Reuters) -Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun called on Hezbollah and other political parties on Thursday to hand over their weapons to the army, a move the powerful militant group is resisting as Washington ramps up pressures for it to remove its arsenal.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has reiterated calls for Hezbollah to disarm. He made the comments Thursday during a speech marking Army Day in Lebanon as pressure rises from the United States.