President Aoun seeks international support for ceasefire, army deployment, and Israel talks

Joseph Aoun said more than 600,000 Lebanese have been displaced and hundreds killed in recent days, warning that Lebanon is being pushed between Israeli attacks and the actions of an armed group operating outside state authority.

Aoun made the remarks during a virtual meeting held via Zoom at the invitation of António Costa, president of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, where he briefed European officials on the situation in Lebanon following recent Israeli strikes.

According to Aoun, more than 600,000 Lebanese citizens have been displaced, with many left without shelter or basic necessities. He said that more than 400 people had been killed in recent days, including 83 children and 42 women, while more than 1,100 others were wounded.

The president said the situation stems from attempts to force Lebanon into a confrontation between Israeli military attacks and an armed faction operating outside the authority of the Lebanese state.

Aoun also referred to the launch of six rockets from Lebanon toward Israel early on March 2, describing the incident as a “trap” set for Lebanon, the Lebanese state, and its people.

He questioned the purpose of the rocket fire, saying the limited number of rockets had no meaningful military impact and did not alter the balance of the confrontation between Iran and Israel or between Israel and Lebanon. The rockets, he said, also failed to deter Israeli retaliation or serve as a convincing response to the killing of Ali Khamenei.

According to Aoun, the incident appeared designed to lure the Israeli army into deeper military operations inside Lebanon, potentially leading to an incursion or even the occupation of parts of the country.

He warned that such a scenario would place Lebanon before two dangerous options: either entering a direct confrontation with Israel that could devastate the country and displace millions, or refraining from confrontation and allowing the armed group responsible for the rockets to launch a populist campaign accusing the state of failing to protect its citizens.

Aoun said such dynamics risk undermining the Lebanese state from both outside and within, warning that continued escalation could further destabilize the country.