Direct negotiations with Israel: We hope to break the deadlock, says Aoun

Speaking to a visiting delegation at Baabda Palace on Monday, President Joseph Aoun said, “No one expected another war by outsiders on our land,” referring to the front Hezbollah opened against Israel on March 2, following the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. On his proposal for “direct negotiations with Israel,” he added, “We hope this initiative will create an opening to end the daily losses endured by all Lebanese.”

Hezbollah unilaterally opened a front in support of Iran on March 2, following the first Israeli and American attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, which killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. On the morning of March 2, the Lebanese government decided to ban Hezbollah’s military and security activities, which has not detered the party from continuing its fighting against the Israeli army south of the Litani, a territory the Lebanese army was supposed to have demilitarized.

In response to this new flare-up on Lebanese territory – which has already left nearly 900 dead in two weeks, more than 2,000 injured, and more than 800,000 internally displaced – President Aoun proposed "direct negotiations with Israel," but has yet to receive a positive response from either Israel or the U.S.

The president stressed that "the state is the sole guarantor of protection for everyone," affirming his "commitment to restoring state authority throughout Lebanese territory, regardless of the obstacles." The Lebanese government decided to impose a monopoly on arms in the hands of the state since August 2025, which notably involves the disarmament of Hezbollah, but has struggled to enforce this on the ground.

Rajji condemns Hezbollah fire on UNIFIL

For his part, Foreign Minister Joe Rajji denounced, in a post on his X account, "the fire that targeted the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)." UNIFIL said Sunday it had "on three separate occasions" come under fire "apparently from unofficial armed groups," likely referring to Hezbollah.

In his message, Mr. Rajji recalled "that the Cabinet decided to ban Hezbollah’s military and security activities, considering them illegal, while also instructing it to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese state."