
Israeli defense minister says strikes under way in Lebanon are 'clear message' to Hezbollah
The Israeli military said earlier on Tuesday it had begun striking targets belonging to the Radwan Force in the Bekaa region of Lebanon.
Reuters
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L'Orient-Le Jour
14 minutes ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Berri criticizes warnings about 'expanded Israeli war'
BEIRUT — Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday denounced, in an interview with daily al-Joumhouriya, the discussion of an "expanded Israeli war" in Lebanon, saying that those who refer to it display an attitude "contrary to the spirit of national responsibility." He also praised the way President Joseph Aoun is handling the Hezbollah disarmament file, at a time when the head of state faces criticism on the issue, particularly from fervent Hezbollah opponents such as the Lebanese Forces (LF), who are pushing for an ultimatum to the party-militia. "Whatever the intentions of the Hebrew state, some people from the Lebanese political scene deliberately keep waving the threat of an [Israeli] expanded war in Lebanon. This is astonishing and contrary to the spirit of national responsibility," Berri said. In an interview published Tuesday by daily al-Chark al-Awsat, LF leader Samir Geagea said Lebanon faces two options: either make a government decision to withdraw Hezbollah's weapons and dissolve armed groups in the country, or be forced to face "a dirty summer". The Kataeb party struck a similar tone Tuesday, denouncing in a statement Hezbollah's "rejection of any discussion regarding disarmament" and warning that it would hold Hezbollah responsible for any deterioration in the security or political situation. The issue of Hezbollah's disarmament is polarizing the entire Lebanese political scene, as international pressure increases following the entry into force on Nov. 27, 2024, of the cease-fire that ended the open war between Hezbollah and Israel. Washington is demanding a clear timetable and public position on returning the weapons and the procedures for implementing the process. The pro-Iranian party, which continues to refuse to hand over its arsenal or set a timetable for doing so, is adamant in its rejection of a new deal and insists on the need to compel the Hebrew state to implement the agreement already reached. Aoun's 'good' management of Hezbollah weapons Berri further praised Aoun's approach to managing the process of withdrawing Hezbollah's weapons, emphasizing that "the way he is handling the issue is good." The head of state is banking on dialogue with Hezbollah, fearing security escalations, a choice repeatedly criticized by Geagea, who believes that the president's fears of civil war as a result of disarming Hezbollah without its consent are "excessive." The government is expected to address this thorny issue at a Cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday. Asked about American envoy Tom Barrack's warning that concrete measures must be taken to disarm the Hezbollah, Berri said Barrack's remarks "are addressed to the government." "For my part, I am concerned with continuing to seek solutions," he said. Barrack made several trips to Beirut in recent weeks, during which he called on Lebanese authorities to fully assume their responsibilities in disarming Hezbollah. Washington is now expecting a concrete execution mechanism and the start of the process to withdraw Hezbollah's military arsenal. Judicial independence and banking restructuring Asked about the legislative session scheduled for Thursday, Berri insisted on the need to pass laws on judicial independence and bank restructuring. He also said he has "done what was necessary" as head of the Legislature regarding the reforms to be implemented. Those reforms are, in his view, above all a national necessity, in addition to being a demand of the international community. He also addressed the situation of retirees and contractors, saying that they "are living in difficult economic conditions." "Their meager salaries don't match what they've given nor what they need. We must remedy this situation," he stressed.


L'Orient-Le Jour
14 minutes ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Army will not tolerate any attempt to drag Lebanon into sedition, says Haykal
BEIRUT — Army commander-in-chief , Rodolphe Haykal, warned on Wednesday, on the occasion of the army's 80th anniversary, that the army "will not tolerate any attempt to undermine security and civil peace or to drag Lebanon into sedition." This warning comes as several issues are causing tensions in the country, in particular the question of Hezbollah's disarmament and intercommunity problems in neighboring Syria, which spill over into Lebanon. "The army is continuing to carry out its missions despite its limited resources, notably by working to assert its authority and control throughout the territory, in accordance with decisions by the political authorities, and to implement international resolutions, particularly Resolution 1701, in close cooperation and coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)," General Haykal said. This resolution, adopted by the Security Council in 2006 to end the war between Hezbollah and Israel, provides for the deployment of the army south of the Litani River and for the disbandment of militias. The commander thus warned that the troops "will not tolerate any attempt to undermine security and civil peace or to drag the country into sedition." His remarks come as the international community and several Lebanese parties are calling for the disarmament of Hezbollah after the recent war which opposed it to Israel, between October 2023 and November 2024. The American envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, who has made several trips to Lebanon to set up a roadmap that would lead to this disarmament, said Sunday that "the credibility of the Lebanese government rests on its ability" to regain the monopoly on weapons. The Lebanese government is expected to address the issue in Cabinet, while President Joseph Aoun favors dialogue with Hezbollah for fear of tensions if he imposes the handing over of its arsenal. 'Preserve national unity' Haykal also emphasized that "Lebanon faces a set of intertwined challenges, first and foremost the threats and aggressions of the Israeli enemy against our country and the people of the region, its repeated violations of international resolutions, and its attempts to infiltrate our social fabric." After thirteen months of devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel, a cease-fire came into effect on Nov. 27, 2024, but Israel continues its attacks in Lebanon, more specifically in the South and the Bekaa Valley, almost daily. These strikes and raids have left more than 280 dead, according to a count by the U.N. and L'Orient Today. "Added to this are terrorism, which seeks to harm the country's unity and the security of its citizens, as well as the repercussions of regional events on the domestic scene," the commander-in-chief of the army continued, following occasional reports of the dismantling of jihadist cells or the arrest of suspects. He stressed the need to "join efforts to preserve national unity." Haykal also recalled that the military "continue to carry out missions to maintain order, monitor and protect the northern and eastern borders, control the maritime borders and territorial waters, and fight crime." He finally stressed "the need for the relevant authorities to provide the military institution with the necessary support, in order to develop its capabilities and improve its conditions." The European Union (EU) launched a week ago a 12.5 million euro project (about $14.7 million), which will be implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to support the Lebanese Army in southern Lebanon.


L'Orient-Le Jour
14 minutes ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Did the Lebanese Army build a watchtower in south Lebanon?
Amid recent rumors about a UK-backed project to build watchtowers for the Lebanese Army along the southern border with Israel, the initiative is actually aimed at reinforcing an existing Lebanese military post in the region, a British government spokesperson and a military source told L'Orient-Le Jour on work comes as a fragile cease-fire, in place since November 2024, continues between Lebanon and Israel following 13 months of devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel. While the Israeli army maintains near-daily strikes in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Army has begun dismantling Hezbollah military positions south of the Litani River, as stipulated in the cease-fire agreement. Disarmament north of the river, also required under the accord, has yet to post being reinforced lies directly along the Israeli border,...