Aoun: Continued Israeli aggression threatens stability in south Lebanon

BEIRUT — Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday again condemned "continued Israeli aggressions against national territory,” warning they could “threaten stability in the South.”

“The ongoing aggressions against our territory, Israel’s refusal to withdraw from the five occupied points — in addition to the 13 disputed border points — and the detention of Lebanese prisoners, all constitute violations of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 and the terms of the agreement reached last November,” Aoun said during a meeting in Baabda with Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias.

Israel announced last month the creation of three working groups to address the five areas under Israeli control in southern Lebanon, discussions on demarcating the Blue Line and resolving remaining border disputes, and the issue of Lebanese prisoners held by Israel.

Late last week, Lebanese officials proposed the creation of a joint technical military committee — similar to the one formed for maritime boundary talks with Israel — or a shuttle diplomacy framework akin to that led by former U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein. The proposal was presented to visiting American envoy Morgan Ortagus.

Israel has carried out near-daily bombardments in southern Lebanon since the implementation of a cease-fire on Nov. 27, 2024, which ended 13 months of conflict with Hezbollah. Since then, 136 people have been killed in Lebanon, according to a tally by L’Orient Today.

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Support for the army

On the subject of Lebanese-Greek relations, Aoun referred to the March 28 summit in Paris, which included the Greek prime minister via videoconference, along with Cypriot and Syrian officials and French President Emmanuel Macron. Discussions focused on regional security in the Eastern Mediterranean, maritime safety, and the wider impact of regional instability, according to the French presidency.

Aoun, whose comments were reported by the state-run National News Agency, expressed appreciation for “the ongoing cooperation between the Lebanese and Greek armies,” and praised Greece’s contribution to the U.N. peacekeeping naval force, UNIFIL. According to the UNIFIL website, Greece contributes 111 personnel to the mission.

The president also voiced support for “any assistance Greece can offer the Lebanese Army, as it reflects a shared commitment to deepening bilateral relations.”

For his part, Dendias said Greece is ready to “provide the necessary support to the Lebanese Army based on its needs,” noting Athens can draw on “its military expertise and the significant development of its own military infrastructure.”