Lebanese President Urges US Support as Ceasefire Holds Unevenly
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called on the United States to remain steadfast in its support for Lebanon, following a US-brokered framework agreement with Israel that aims to permanently end hostilities after the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah. In a congratulatory message to President Donald Trump marking the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence, Aoun urged Washington to “keep always standing beside Lebanon’s right and just causes, its institutions, army and people.” He also expressed hope that Lebanon could “turn the page on wars … and open a new page of hope, peace and stability.”
The agreement, signed in Washington, calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area, starting with two “pilot” areas. The deal does not set a timetable for the Israeli withdrawal, a point of contention that has drawn rejection from Hezbollah. While the ceasefire is holding unevenly, Israeli strikes continue in the south, and Israeli troops remain in a security zone near the border, coordinating a withdrawal as the Lebanese army works to implement the agreement.
Aoun’s appeal for US solidarity comes as Lebanon grapples with the aftermath of the conflict. According to figures cited by Al Jazeera, the death toll since March 2 has reached 4,303 killed and 12,202 wounded, while Dawn reports the toll at 4,300. Over one million people have been displaced, according to Dawn, but significant returns have already begun: Dawn reported that 640,000 displaced people have returned home since June 22, while Al Jazeera said that 400,000 have returned to their areas in southern Lebanon.
In a separate development, Aoun defended the framework agreement during a meeting with journalists, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. Aoun urged opponents of the deal to come up with an alternative, saying, according to Al-Jadeed, “I am telling you that I am not in love with Israel, but give me another solution, whatever it may be. I am telling those who oppose this framework that I am waiting for any solution or agreement that will get us out of wars.”
The United States, Israel, and Lebanon signed the trilateral framework agreement last week after days of US-mediated talks. According to a US State Department statement, the agreement outlines a structured process for disarming Hezbollah, dismantling terrorist infrastructure, and enabling Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon once the threat posed by Hezbollah is removed. The US embassy in Lebanon marked the independence anniversary by saying on social media that “it is with great pride that we stand with the people of Lebanon as they forge a brighter future – one of peace, prosperity and promise long overdue.”
Lebanon was drawn into the war on March 2 after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes days earlier. Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, where its troops still occupy swathes of territory near the border. The conflict has taken a heavy toll on the region, with reports of villages erased and psychological trauma mounting among the population.