Aoun says Israeli attacks hinder US-mediated agreement — Asharq Al-Awsat

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said in Beirut that the continuation of Israeli attacks in the south of the country is hindering the implementation of an agreement reached during talks in Washington. As Asharq Al-Awsat reports, according to Aoun, Beirut's contacts with the US side on halting the strikes have so far yielded no results.

During a meeting with Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Helen McEntee, the Lebanese president accused Israel of failing to comply with the agreements. He claims that Israeli forces continue to shell villages and towns in southern Lebanon, destroy property, and demolish homes with bulldozers.

Call to stop the attacks

Aoun said these actions prevent the Lebanese army from extending state control to the international border, ending the presence of armed groups, and restoring stability. He called on friendly countries, including Ireland, to pressure Israel to stop the attacks, withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon, and release Lebanese prisoners.

According to the president, this would enable the Lebanese state to rebuild destroyed communities and facilitate the return of displaced residents.

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UNIFIL mandate

Aoun also reaffirmed Lebanon's desire to extend the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, through 2027. The current mandate of the mission expires at the end of the year. The president stressed that peacekeepers monitor the situation in the south of the country, support the deployment of the Lebanese army near the international border, and provide local residents with humanitarian, social, and medical assistance.

If the UNIFIL mandate cannot be extended, Beirut is ready to consider the participation of European forces under arrangements with the European Union or individual European countries in cooperation with the UN. Aoun warned that the withdrawal of peacekeepers without a replacement could create a security vacuum in southern Lebanon and adversely affect regional stability.

For her part, Helen McEntee confirmed Ireland's readiness to continue participating in peacekeeping operations and supporting the Lebanese army, civil society, and the country's state institutions.