Israel must withdraw from Lebanon by January 26 deadline: President Aoun

Lebanon's new President, Joseph Aoun, during a meeting with visiting United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, demanded that Israel must withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon by the January 26th deadline stipulated in last year’s ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel. President Aoun's office stated on Saturday that Israel's continued violations in land and airspace, especially the bombing of houses and destruction of border villages, are in complete contravention of the ceasefire agreement and a continuous infringement on Lebanon's sovereignty and the will of the international community.

Guterres stated that he would "do his utmost" to ensure the "safe" withdrawal of Israeli forces by the January 26th deadline set by the agreement reached on November 27th. He also noted that under President Aoun's leadership, Lebanon will see a "more hopeful future," where the country can achieve stability and become a hub in the Middle East. President Aoun was elected this January after Lebanese political factions reached an agreement, ending a two-year power vacuum, with Lebanon previously facing Israeli attacks and a turbulent economy.

The former army commander also emphasized his support for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), whose mission is to ensure the security of the country's southern region under Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Lebanon-Israel war. According to Al Jazeera’s Beirut correspondent, Zeina Khodr, Guterres’s message in Lebanon is one of support for the new president and the new Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam. Guterres stated that the international community will support them and help them with reconstruction efforts. Lebanon has gone through difficult times in the past few years, with its economy almost collapsing, the country on the brink of bankruptcy, and facing a financial crisis and significant currency devaluation.

According to the ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah should retreat north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure. Guterres stated on Friday that UN peacekeepers have discovered more than 100 weapons caches belonging to "Hezbollah or other armed groups" in southern Lebanon and called on Israel to halt its "occupation" in the area. As Israeli forces gradually withdraw, Lebanese troops have been gradually deploying to more areas in the south alongside UN peacekeepers.

French President Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to Beirut on Friday, stated that Israel must “accelerate” its full withdrawal from the area and strengthen the Lebanese army. Amidst promises of more international support for Lebanon during UN Secretary-General Guterres’s visit, the United States announced on Saturday that it would provide more than $117 million in aid to the country. The US State Department said in a statement that the funds will be part of “new, expanded security assistance” to the Lebanese army and security forces to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The Lebanese army, the UN, and France have accused Israel of multiple “violations” of the ceasefire agreement, as Israel has launched repeated attacks, claiming they were to “enforce” the agreement.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said in a televised speech on Saturday that Israeli forces have violated the agreement "hundreds of times." "We are being patient with these violations in order to give a chance to the Lebanese government, which is responsible for this agreement, as well as the international sponsors, but I call on you not to test our patience," he said.