Lebanon’s president makes a rare visit to southern city as fears of Israeli attacks grow
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon's president Joseph Aoun made a rare trip to the southern city of Nabatiyeh on Saturday, near the location where Israel took control of a strategic hill, due to growing concerns of additional Israeli assaults. This visit occurred following Israel's capture of sections of Ali Taher ridge earlier this month, where officials reported that Hezbollah tunnel networks had been destroyed.
The June 20 U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which resulted in a cessation of active hostilities, began on March 2 after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel just two days after the U.S. and Israel initiated a war on Iran. However, Israel has persisted with airstrikes and attacks in Lebanon's southern regions.
Hezbollah has also fired explosive drones, though they have not acknowledged responsibility. A team of Lebanon's security agencies joined Aoun during his visit, according to the state-run National News Agency. Some Nabatiyeh residents have been urging the army to strengthen its presence in the city to prevent a potential Israeli ground invasion.
A man in footage shown on local TV stations expressed residents' desire for security and their children's safety, mentioning the displacement and humiliation they have faced. The recent Israel-Hezbollah conflict resulted in over 4,000 deaths in Lebanon and displaced more than 1 million people. Since the ceasefire went into effect, hundreds of thousands have returned to their homes in southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs.
Aoun assured that the state will address the needs of the residents to ensure they remain in their homes. Lebanon and Israel have engaged in multiple rounds of direct talks in Washington and Rome. The State Department announced that the next round of Israel-Lebanon discussions will take place in Rome in October. Hezbollah opposes direct negotiations with Israel and has called for the government to dissolve the framework agreement reached in June.
Written by urgent.news from Winnipeg Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
