Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed on Thursday full support for the statement issued by the Lebanese Army Command, praising the national role played by the armed forces in “extending state authority and restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty over all its territory.”
In a statement released by the Lebanese Presidency, Aoun stressed that “achieving sustainable stability remains linked to addressing unresolved issues that hinder the full exercise of state authority, foremost among them Israel’s continued occupation of parts of Lebanese territory, the establishment of buffer zones, and ongoing Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty by land, sea, and air.”
The Lebanese president reiterated that a complete Israeli withdrawal, respect for the cessation of hostilities, and the release of detainees are essential to enabling the state to exercise sovereignty, ensure the safe return of displaced civilians, and launch an orderly reconstruction process in the affected southern areas, accordinbg to teh statement read by Presidency Spokeswoman Najat Sharafddine.
رئيس الجمهورية العماد جوزاف عون أكد دعمه الكامل للبيان الصادر عن قيادة الجيش اللبناني، معرباً عن تقديره للدور الوطني الذي تضطلع به القوات المسلحة اللبنانية في بسط سلطة الدولة واستعادة سيادتها على أراضيها كافة pic.twitter.com/NyGQCisbkN
— Lebanese Presidency (@LBpresidency) January 8, 2026
Moreover, President Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to implementing the cessation-of-hostilities agreement and called on the international community—particularly sisterly and friendly countries—to assist Lebanon in applying the agreement.
The Lebanese president’s remarks came in response a statement by the Lebanese Army announcing that its plan to confine weapons has entered an advanced stage after effectively achieving the objectives of its first phase on the ground, while noting that continued Israeli attacks and delays in receiving promised military capabilities negatively affect mission implementation.
Source: Lebanese media (translated and edited by Al-Manar)