This morning (Saturday), sirens sounded in the northern moshav of Zar’it near the border. At the same time, Lebanese reports said airstrikes targeted a vehicle near Nabatieh and another strike hit the village of Jouya in the Tyre area.
Despite understandings between Israel and Lebanon on a ceasefire, fighting across the border continues.
In parallel, political tensions in Lebanon are escalating, as the confrontation between the government in Beirut and Hezbollah’s backers in Tehran intensifies amid negotiations in Washington aimed at ending the war with Israel.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a sharp response to comments by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who had suggested Lebanon was being used as a bargaining chip.
“Based on Joseph Aoun’s remarks, one might think Iran has occupied one fifth of Lebanon, displaced a quarter of its population and attacks the country daily,” Araghchi said sarcastically. “If Lebanon were a bargaining chip for Iran, we would have reached a deal long ago. Save Lebanon from your real enemy, Mr President.”
Joseph Aoun told CNN on Friday that military solutions would never bring security to Israelis in the north of their country and said disputes should be resolved through negotiations. He did not rule out a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but said it would only be possible “after reaching an agreement to end the war.”
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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a sharp response to comments by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun
(Photo: AP Photo/Mehmet Guzel, REUTERS/Emilie Madi)
On the understandings between Israel and Lebanon regarding the ceasefire, which Hezbollah rejected, Aoun said on Friday that “this was difficult negotiations until we reached a significant breakthrough,” adding that the agreement could become a milestone toward a “just and lasting peace.”
At the same time, Aoun criticized Iran, saying it was using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its talks with the United States, calling it unacceptable. He said the Lebanese public was “fed up” with the war between Israel and Hezbollah and demanded that Iran stop interfering in Lebanon’s internal affairs.
Addressing Iran directly, he said: “You are not trying to help us. The Lebanese people are paying the price for your interests. Our interests do not align with yours.”
He also said of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that “this is not your country, it is ours.”
In contrast, Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri aligned himself with Iran’s position, saying: “The withdrawal of Hezbollah from south of the Litani River should be in parallel with Israel’s withdrawal from the areas it has occupied.”