Israeli airstrikes hit multiple sites across southern Lebanon and West Bekaa
A series of strikes also targeted an open area between Jarmaq and Mahmoudiyeh.
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LBCI
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UNIFIL renewal talks progress as Lebanon hosts US officials: Here's what we know
Report by Nada Andraos, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian On the issue of renewing the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate, diplomatic contacts are intensifying between Beirut and key capitals ahead of Morgan Ortagus' visit to Beirut on Sunday, accompanied by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack. Lebanon plans to deliver a clear message rejecting any changes to the peacekeeping force's mandate, insisting it remain as it was set in last year's renewal decision. The Lebanese position is based on two factors: UNIFIL's mission and its funding. Beirut has been in continuous contact with both the French and American sides, alongside a meeting held in Paris two days ago between the U.S. and France dedicated to discussing the renewal of UNIFIL's mandate. France, as the 'penholder' on Lebanon at the U.N. Security Council, is playing a key role. According to reports, Washington had insisted, until the Paris meeting, on introducing changes to the resolution and to UNIFIL's tasks. It is still unclear how the United States will respond to Lebanon's stance, though Beirut is counting on initial signs suggesting possible flexibility in Washington's position, which could be reflected during Ortagus and Barrack's visit. Britain, like France, supports keeping the mission unchanged. Lebanon will tell the American visitors that it is firmly committed to its position and that the Lebanese army will remain ready to work alongside UNIFIL in the south to ensure no incidents occur between the peacekeepers and local residents. Sources confirmed to LBCI that Lebanon will emphasize three key points to the U.S. officials. The first is that UNIFIL is a vital necessity for the south and a cornerstone in implementing Resolution 1701, strengthening the Lebanese army's deployment along the border. The second is that the Lebanese state plans to increase troop numbers in the south by 4,500 soldiers, after having already added 1,500 earlier, bringing the total to around 10,000 by the end of this year. This expansion requires ongoing coordination with UNIFIL. The army has completed the first recruitment and training phase and is preparing for the second. The third is that UNIFIL is not only a military or security force, but also plays an essential social and humanitarian role, providing health care, education, and employment opportunities. This is especially critical after Israeli attacks destroyed most social and health centers in the south. Many Lebanese families, from the south and beyond, rely on jobs created by UNIFIL. As for funding, sources said that if Washington insists on cutting its contribution to U.N. agencies, including UNIFIL in Lebanon, Arab and European states are expected to step in and cover the shortfall. European officials have already assured all parties of their commitment to maintaining UNIFIL's presence, mandate, and budget without any reduction.
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New wave of condemnations after Qassem's speech
Reactions condemning the speech of the Hezbollah leader, who on Friday threatened confrontation if disarmament were imposed on his group, continued for the second consecutive day. These remarks were, however, supported by Iran's ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, who said, 'American pressure will not break Lebanon.' The leader of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea, on Saturday called the statements of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem 'unacceptable.' Kassem had declared on Friday that his organization was ready for confrontation, especially after the government tasked the Lebanese Army with drafting a plan to disarm it. 'The speech delivered yesterday by Sheikh Naim Kassem is unacceptable in every respect, as it constitutes a direct threat, first and foremost, to the Lebanese government, then to the parliamentary majority that has placed its trust in this government, and finally to all of Lebanon's constitutional institutions, including the presidency of the Republic and the presidency of the Council of Ministers,' Geagea said in a statement. 'It is also a direct threat to all free Lebanese,' he added. 'Supporting constitutional institutions' 'If Sheikh Naïm assumes that there are no longer any free Lebanese in Lebanon, he is gravely mistaken. If he assumes that he can thereby impose his authority, which does not exist, on these free Lebanese, he is also gravely mistaken,' added the LF leader, of the Christian sovereignist party opposed to Hezbollah's arsenal. In a barely veiled threat directed at Hezbollah's secretary-general, Geagea also promised to 'redouble efforts to support constitutional institutions' and to do everything possible 'to prevent anyone from undermining support for constitutional institutions again,' considering that the current phase is 'foundational' for Lebanon. 'These institutions, represented by the heads of state and government, are striving, with all their patriotism, energy, and strength, to restore Lebanon to itself, to reestablish order in the state, to bring Lebanon's friends back to its side, and also to bring the international community back with it,' he concluded. After more than a year of war between Israel and Hezbollah, the party, which has lost much of its leadership—including its chief Hassan Nasrallah, eliminated by the Israeli army on Sep. 27, 2024— continues to refuse to hand over its arsenal to the Lebanese Army, despite pressure from authorities and the international community. Beirut MP Ibrahim Mneimneh (opposition) said that Hezbollah 'should clearly declare that it is handing over its weapons and limit discussion on this matter to the Council of Ministers.' 'But Hezbollah continues to break its promises and move in a vicious circle,' he added in a radio interview. He also noted: 'The main problem still lies in the lack of trust in a state that is trying to recover. Therefore, Hezbollah should no longer make all Lebanese bear the burden of its crisis.' 'Threatening official authorities' Metn MP Elias Hankache, a member of the parliamentary group of the Kataeb Party, said, 'We cannot let pass an opportunity to build a country worthy of our ambitions in the face of a regional Iranian agenda.' In an interview with the Lebanese channel al-Jadeed, he accused Naim Qassem of 'threatening official authorities in Lebanon, the entire country, and all Lebanese,' noting that this escalation coincided with the visit of Iranian official Ali Larijani to Beirut. Meanwhile, MP Hadi Abou el-Hosn of the Democratic Gathering bloc (aligned with Jumblatt) said Qassem's speech is 'condemnable and unacceptable,' questioning why he used language from a bygone era, referring to the civil war invoked by the Hezbollah chief. 'This escalatory speech, which traps us in the Israeli game, is in total contradiction with Hezbollah's participation in the government, in which we are all integrated and whose ministerial declaration we have all approved,' he said in a statement. 'American pressure will not break Lebanon' Iran's ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, stated that 'American pressure will not break Lebanon and its resistance.' In an interview with Al-Alam, reported by various Lebanese media, the diplomat said that his 'country resists pressures, government and people united, and wishes the same for Lebanon.' 'Iran supports Lebanon and its people without distinction between different communities, and its support for Lebanon is not a slogan but a concrete reality,' he added. Amani also said, 'If houses belonging to Christians, Druze, or other communities are destroyed, Iran is ready to help them, as it does for the oppressed people of Gaza.' Meanwhile, Hezbollah's deputy head of the political council, Mahmoud Comati, said on Saturday that Hezbollah is not 'in an internal Lebanese confrontation.' Naïm Kassem 'did not threaten, but said that we are ready, if cornered, to wage a Battle of Karbala,' referring to the battle in which Imam Hussein and his men were killed in 680 AD.
