Lebanese President Sends Sharp Message to Hezbollah: “The State Alone Must Hold Weapons”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun delivered a clear message to Hezbollah on Sunday morning, declaring that he opposes turning southern Lebanon into a forgotten region or a bargaining chip. At an event marking 48 years since the abduction of Lebanese Shiite imam Musa al-Sadr, Aoun emphasized the state’s exclusive authority over the defense of its territory, saying that “the only legitimate weapon for defending the land is that of the state.”

At the same time, Beirut is still waiting for a date to be set for the eighth round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, which is expected to take place during September. Lebanese sources told Arab media that no date has yet been set for the meetings and that responsibility for doing so rests with the American side.

According to the sources, Lebanon is awaiting an update from Washington, which is working to ensure that the upcoming round does not end with discussions alone, but also produces practical results and decisions. Among the issues expected to be on the agenda are pilot areas for the IDF’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the sources also addressed reports of a possible upcoming operation in the Ali Taher Ridge, where Hezbollah operatives are entrenched, denying that such a move is expected to take place soon. According to them, IDF strikes in the area continue intermittently, while Israel continues to demand the operatives’ withdrawal from the site.

In his speech, Aoun also addressed the issue for which the event was held: the disappearance of Musa al-Sadr. The Lebanese president made clear that authorities in Beirut will continue demanding that the truth be revealed about his fate and that of his companions.

Al-Sadr disappeared during a visit to Libya in 1978, and his fate has remained a mystery ever since. According to several reports, he died in the late 1990s while imprisoned by Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.