Lebanese president calls for ceasefire with Israel, vows to disarm Hezbollah
In a statement, Aoun said Lebanon is seeking a “complete ceasefire” to stop all Israeli attacks by land, air and sea.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called for a complete ceasefire with Israel and pledged that the Lebanese Armed Forces will disarm the Hezbollah militant group once the military receives adequate international support.
Aoun made the remarks during a virtual meeting with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday (9 March), where he urged an immediate halt to Israeli military actions against Lebanon, reports The Jerusalem Post.
In a statement, Aoun said Lebanon is seeking a "complete ceasefire" to stop all Israeli attacks by land, air and sea. He also called for logistical support for the Lebanese Armed Forces to strengthen their capacity and restore stability in the country.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
He added that once the army receives the necessary support, it will move to disarm Hezbollah and confiscate all weapons held by the group. At the same time, Lebanon and Israel should begin direct negotiations under international sponsorship to implement the proposed ceasefire arrangement.
The Lebanese president also criticised Hezbollah's recent rocket attacks on Israel, describing them as an attempt to drag Lebanon into a destructive conflict. According to the statement, the attacks risk plunging the country into chaos and provoking retaliation that could devastate villages and endanger thousands of lives.
Aoun's remarks represent one of the strongest criticisms of Hezbollah by a Lebanese leader in recent times.
According to Lebanon's Ministry of Health, at least 394 people have been killed since Israeli strikes on the country began earlier this week. Israel says its military operations are targeting Hezbollah positions in response to attacks from the Iran-backed group.
The Lebanese president also noted that the conflict has forced more than 600,000 people to flee their homes, as Hezbollah continues to launch missiles and drones into Israeli territory.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it has carried out more than 500 airstrikes in Lebanon since March 2 as part of operations targeting Hezbollah and sites linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Israeli officials claim the strikes have killed more than 200 Hezbollah fighters and destroyed multiple command centres and other military infrastructure.
Amid the escalating violence, Aoun reiterated Lebanon's call for a ceasefire and renewed international efforts to stabilise the situation through negotiations and strengthened support for the Lebanese state institutions.
