Aoun hopes 'entire South will be liberated,' that only Lebanese flags will fly there

President Joseph Aoun stated during a visit to the South Litani Sector Command at Benoit Barakat Barracks in Sour, the day before Lebanon's 82nd Independence Day, that he hopes “by next year’s Independence Day, the entire South will have been liberated, and only Lebanese flags will float along the border," the state-run National News Agency reported Friday.

Aoun, speaking from the barracks where he was received by Army Commander Rodolph Haykal, Sector Commander Brigadier General Nicolas Tabet, senior officers, and soldiers, said: “I came to the South today, on Independence Day, to reaffirm that this cherished region is always close to our hearts.

"The army, which safeguards the people of the South as well as all Lebanese, remains steadfast in its commitment to defending our national dignity, sovereignty, and independence. It honors these principles, martyr after martyr, unwavering even in the face of occasional campaigns of defamation, doubt and incitement.”

Aoun stated, “the distinguished role of the army stationed in the South in general, and in the South Litani Sector in particular,” honoring the 12 soldiers who have fallen since the security plan began.

Read also:

Haykal affair: A wake-up call or the beginning of a new tutelage project

Aoun's speech comes at a time when scheduled meetings for Haykal with U.S. officials in Washington, originally planned for Wednesday, were abruptly canceled. Several U.S. senators also expressed dissatisfaction with the Lebanese Army’s handling of Hezbollah’s disarmament.

The cancellation of the scheduled meeting was perceived as an expression of U.S. dissatisfaction with the army, while the latter is waging a fierce battle on multiple fronts to assert Lebanon’s sovereignty over its entire territory. 

Visit 'confirms your constant support for the army'

For his part, Haykal welcomed the president, saying to Aoun, the visit “once again confirms your constant support for the army and your commitment to visiting the South and checking on its people and the soldiers stationed there.”

A detachment of the army saluted him, and the military band played the national anthem. Afterwards, Aoun and Haykal went to the Sector Commander’s office, where they were briefed on the security situation.

Colonel Rashad Bou Karam, Head of Operations in the South Litani Sector, presented a detailed briefing with maps and figures on army actions, including the removal of ammunition, weapons control, securing facilities and deployment at checkpoints and border sites to maintain security.

Aoun also reviewed maps showing areas where Israeli forces had crossed the Blue Line while constructing a wall beyond internationally recognized borders.

Lebanese troops are tasked with disarming militias, particularly Hezbollah, which was weakened by its last war with Israel.

This mission has begun south of the Litani, where Hezbollah does not oppose dismantling its infrastructure.

However, the group refuses to give up its arms elsewhere in Lebanon, where army disarmament is expected to begin in early 2026.

'Celebrations usually held on this occasion will not happen this year '

Aoun then addressed officers, congratulating them on Independence Day, while noting that “the traditional celebrations usually held on this occasion will be absent this year due to the circumstances the country is going through.”

Last year, celebrations were not held as Lebanon was in a full-scale war with Israel at the time. In 2023 and 2022, the celebrations were also canceled as former President Michel Aoun's term had ended, and the Parliament failed to elect a president till January 2025.

Read also:

Haykal urges the Lebanese to always stand by the army

One year after the U.S.- and France-brokered truce, tensions remain high. Israel struck several localities in southern Lebanon on Wednesday after issuing warnings online and killing 13 Palestinians in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp on Tuesday.

Israeli forces continue to occupy at least six hills on the Lebanese side of the border and carry out near-daily strikes in the South and Bekaa Valley.

To mark Independence Day, Aoun is scheduled to address the nation on Friday at 9 p.m., the Baabda Presidential Palace's press office announced.