Joseph Aoun said on Monday that Lebanon is facing “fierce and condemned Israeli aggression,” a day after the Israeli military announced that it had taken control of the strategic Beaufort Castle (Qalaat Al-Shaqif) in southern Lebanon and intended to expand its offensive against Hezbollah.
In a statement, Aoun pledged to work toward ending the suffering of the Lebanese people, particularly residents of southern Lebanon, and to put an end to their hardships.
Meanwhile, a U.S. official told Axios on Monday that Marco Rubio had held discussions over the past 48 hours with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an effort to advance a new ceasefire initiative between Israel and Lebanon.
According to the U.S. official, the proposal was presented as part of ongoing negotiations between the two countries. Washington suggested, as an initial step, that Hezbollah halt all attacks on Israel in exchange for Israel refraining from escalating military operations in Beirut.
The official said the proposal could “create space for gradual de-escalation and an effective cessation of hostilities.”
A ceasefire intended to end the fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement officially entered into force on 17 April, but has not been fully observed in practice.
According to authorities in Beirut, the death toll in Lebanon has reached 3,412 since the outbreak of the war on 2 March, while more than one million people have been displaced from their homes. The Israeli military has reported 25 fatalities among its ranks.
