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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Israel of violating the cease-fire terms by maintaining a troop presence in five locations near the Israel-Lebanon border.
In his first interview since taking office, Aoun told the Saudi-owned, UK-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that he saw no military necessity for Israel to remain on Lebanese soil. "With drones and satellites, these locations are meaningless," he said.
Aoun said he was in contact with French and American mediators to push for an Israeli withdrawal. "If the American administration has not yet pressured Israel to leave Lebanese territory, it either lacks the will to do so or is waiting for the right moment—I don’t know," he said. However, he emphasized that relations with the U.S. remain essential due to its global influence.
Aoun was named president after the war between Israel and Hezbollah ended and following the assassinations of Hezbollah’s leadership, including Hassan Nasrallah. He said Lebanon was exhausted by conflict.
"In all honesty, Lebanon is tired. The Lebanese are tired of others fighting their wars on our land. We deserve economic and political recovery," he said.
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When asked whether weapons should be solely in the hands of the state, Aoun responded: "If we are talking about sovereignty, our vision is that decisions on war and peace must be made by the state, and the possession of arms must be limited to the state."
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Aoun reiterated Lebanon’s commitment to UN Resolution 1701, expressing hope that military confrontations could be resolved diplomatically. "As military men, however, we always prepare for the worst. The worst-case scenario is military conflict, and that depends on the decision of the state," he said.
He also expressed his desire to establish relations based on mutual respect with all countries, including Iran. "This is not about a country's relationship with one group of politicians or Lebanese. Iran's friendship must be with all Lebanese," he said.