Israel’s occupation of Lebanese territory hinders army deployment in south, president warns

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun warned Monday that Israel’s ongoing occupation of territory in the south prevents the army deployment in the area.

“Israel must be pressured to withdraw from the areas it occupies in Lebanon,” Aoun said during a video call with the American Task Force on Lebanon, as cited by a presidency statement.

The Lebanese army and security forces “are the cornerstone of stability and security” in southern Lebanon and “are essential to enabling residents to return to their towns and homes,” he stressed.

“There is no place for civil war in Lebanon, and its return is not on the table, despite attempts by some parties to rekindle sectarian strife,” Aoun said.

Negotiation “is the only option left after the war failed to achieve its declared objectives,” he added.

“Unless Israel withdraws from Lebanese territory, the situation will not serve the goals set by Washington and Beirut regarding the restoration of Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence, and strong institutions,” the Lebanese president warned.

“The suspension of lawsuits between Israel and Lebanon is limited to the period of negotiations and does not mean abandoning these lawsuits entirely,” Aoun said.

On June 26, Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement under US mediation, which provides for a phased Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

The agreement, however, does not set a timetable for a full withdrawal and links further pullbacks to the Lebanese army assuming security responsibilities and the disarmament of non-state armed groups, including Hezbollah.

Lebanese officials said the agreement represented a “first step” toward restoring state sovereignty over all its territory and allowing displaced people to return to their towns.

Hezbollah, however, called the agreement “null and void,” saying that linking Israeli withdrawal to its disarmament crossed “all red lines.”

Since March 2, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed more than 4,300 people and injured over 12,000 others, according to official figures.

Israeli forces also continue to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 war, while advancing more than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into Lebanese territory during the latest offensive.