Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — Thirty-six soldiers from the Lebanese Army have been killed by the Israeli army since the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel began in October 2023, according to an announcement by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Sunday evening.
“With the martyrdom of two more soldiers today as a result of the Israeli enemy directly targeting an army post in the town of Al-Mari-Hasbaya, the number of army martyrs since the start of the Israeli aggression has risen to 36,” Mikati said.
The soldiers "gave their lives defending the nation's land," Mikati said. The Lebanese Army is not directly involved in the war, which was, for almost a year, relatively contained to cross-border fighting within areas close to the border. Following Israel's declaration of war against Gaza, a response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, Hezbollah opened a support front meant to draw resources away from the fight in Gaza.
"We must all cooperate to ensure [the soldiers'] sacrifices are not in vain by first working to halt the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and enabling the army to carry out all its required tasks to assert the sole authority of the state over all Lebanese territories," Mikati said.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to extending the Lebanese Armed Forces' "authority over all Lebanese territory" and working toward implementing U.N. Resolution 1701, saying that the government "is committed to working with all of Lebanon’s friends, influential countries, and international legitimacy" to do so.
“We are hopeful that ongoing contacts will lead to a cease-fire as a preliminary step toward moving to the next phase linked to the implementation of Resolution 1701,” he said.
Mikati also contacted Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, offering his condolences for the soldiers killed and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.