ALWAGHT- President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon urged the US to press Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, emphasizing that it would enable the Lebanese army to take full authority over the area.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper in Beirut, urging Washington to pressure Israel to implement the November 2024 ceasefire, end its military operations, withdraw from five occupied outposts, and release Lebanese abductees. Aoun emphasized that ongoing Israeli attacks hinder the Lebanese army’s full deployment along the southern border, where it already controls over 85% of the territory south of the Litani River.
The region has a history of conflict, with Hezbollah resisting Israeli wars in 2000 and 2006, leading to Israel’s retreat. UN Security Council Resolution 1701 established a ceasefire and buffer zone in southern Lebanon, while UNIFIL’s mandate was recently extended until the end of 2026. Despite the November 2024 ceasefire, Israel continues near-daily strikes in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah, and still occupies five border outposts.
Hezbollah officials, including MP Hasan Ezzeddine, rejected efforts to disarm the resistance, asserting that its weapons remain legitimate under Lebanese law. Ezzeddine stressed that disarmament attempts would fail as long as Israel maintains military positions and warned against stripping Hezbollah of arms amid ongoing Israeli occupation plans in the south.
