Lebanon’s President Calls On US, France, To Stop Israeli Strikes

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is calling on the United States and France to take action to halt Israel’s ceasefire violations, after Israeli jets attacked Beirut’s southern suburbs over the weekend, the BBC reported. 

The Lebanese president condemned the attack and called on the US and France, who had brokered the ceasefire deal, which came into effect in November, to “assume their responsibilities” and pressure Israel to stop the strikes.  

The president said that Israel’s attacks are a risk for the stability of the region.

Israeli jets attacked Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday, after ordering the evacuation of a building that it believed was occupied by the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah.  

This attack marks the third Israeli strike on the Lebanese capital since the ceasefire that came into effect. 

In a statement, the Israeli military said the target was a precision-guided missile storage facility for Hezbollah, arguing that the storage of such equipment is a violation of the agreement reached for the ceasefire, according to the Associated Press. 

From late 2023 until November, Israeli drones and fighter jets regularly attacked Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, where strikes killed multiple top Hezbollah leaders and also members of its militia.  

Over the past few months, the Lebanese army, under a new prime minister, Nawaf Salam, has deployed in the country’s south, attempting to confiscate Hezbollah’s arms and neutralize its positions as per the ceasefire agreement, noted the Washington Post. 

For now, 6,000 Lebanese troops are deployed close to the border with Israel, with 4,000 more planned to deploy, according to military officials. 

Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued to strike targets it believes are linked to Hezbollah, with three airstrikes on Beirut in the past month, the Washington Post said.  

According to Western officials, Hezbollah has mostly respected the terms of the deal, but has refused to completely disarm, while Israel has not respected the truce, the BBC wrote. However, the leader of the group said that if Israeli attacks continue and if Lebanon’s government doesn’t take steps to stop them, Hezbollah will resume its fight against Israel. 

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel “will not allow Hezbollah to grow stronger.”