Joseph AOun

Hezbollah Escalates Rhetoric After Barrack’s Visit

Hezbollah raised its tone once again on Wednesday, a day after US envoys Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus’ visit to Beirut, during which international support for restoring Lebanese sovereignty over the entire national territory was reaffirmed. Hussein Khalil, political aide to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, renewed threats and leveled ...

Unit 4400: Hezbollah’s Vulnerable Logistical Backbone

In the Beqaa Valley, once bustling with heavily loaded night convoys, silence now reigns. The routes that Unit 4400 used to transport weapons, drones and spare parts from Iran via Iraq and Syria are currently heavily monitored, relentlessly targeted by Israeli airstrikes and patrolled by the Lebanese Army. Once hailed as the backbone of ...

Barrack-Ortagus Mission: Advancing Lebanese Sovereignty

On Tuesday, the US delegation led by envoys Thomas Barrack and Morgan Ortagus highlighted growing alignment between Washington and Lebanese authorities, working with international support toward restoring Lebanese sovereignty. The collaboration was evident during a marathon day of meetings. Barrack and Ortagus, joined by Senators Jeanne Shaheen ...

Barrack: Lebanon Is on the Right Track

“Lebanon is on the right track,” US envoys Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus affirmed Tuesday during their visit to Baabda, where they were received by President Joseph Aoun. Ortagus and Barrack delivered Israel’s response to Lebanon’s proposals on the US roadmap and held discussions with President Aoun on the next steps for ...

Final Attempt to Mend Rift Before Cabinet Session

In one week, the Cabinet is scheduled to meet — unless delayed — to review an army plan implementing the government’s decision to confine all weapons to state control. The coming days promise significant developments: it includes US Senator Lindsey Graham’s visit to Beirut with envoys Morgan Ortagus and Thomas Barrack, an anticipated ...

Reciprocal Response: Israel Signals Troop Reduction if Lebanon Disarms Hezbollah

Israel announced on Monday that it would take reciprocal steps, including a phased reduction of its military presence, should the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) implement the disarmament of Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised what he called the “historic decision” by the Lebanese government, led by President Joseph Aoun ...

Aoun: Lebanon Not Informed of Any “Buffer Zone in the South”

President Joseph Aoun stated on Saturday that “Lebanon has not been officially informed of anything regarding Israel’s reported intention to establish a buffer zone in the South, as circulated in the media.” During his meeting with US Congressman Darin LaHood and the accompanying delegation, he stressed the importance of renewing UNIFIL’s ...

Joseph Aoun: Borders with Syria Under Control

President Joseph Aoun affirmed on Friday that the Lebanese-Syrian borders are fully secured, stressing that the army “remains on high alert and carries out its duties with competence and diligence to ensure calm and security for citizens.” “The situation at the border is under control, and the current climate is encouraging with respect to ...

Disarmament: Presidential Advisor Meets Hezbollah MP

President Joseph Aoun’s advisor, Brigadier General Andre Rahal, met Friday with the head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, MP Mohammad Raad, in an implicit attempt to reassure Hezbollah amid heightened tensions over the government’s decision to disarm non-state actors, particularly the Iran-backed group. According to the National News ...

Zaki Conveys Arab League Support for Lebanese Sovereignty

President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed, on Thursday, to Arab League Deputy Secretary-General Ambassador Hossam Zaki Lebanon’s commitment to implementing the arms control resolution in a way that safeguards the interests of all Lebanese citizens. He emphasized the necessity for Israel to fulfill its obligations to create the conditions required for ...

Kataeb Condemn Hezbollah Threats

In a meeting on Wednesday under the chairmanship of its leader, Samy Gemayel, the Kataeb Party’s political bureau strongly condemned recent threats by Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, who warned that any attempt to disarm his group would “spark a civil war and end life in Lebanon.” The Kataeb reiterated their “rejection of ...

Aoun Stresses Lebanon’s Commitment to Renewing UNIFIL's Mandate

A week ahead of U.N. talks on extending UNIFIL’s mandate, and with some Security Council members questioning the usefulness of renewing the peacekeepers’ mission, President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to maintaining the multinational force in the south “for as long as necessary” to fully implement UN Resolution ...