Lebanese Foreign Minister said Monday that the Lebanese Armed Forces possess the necessary capabilities to control the entire country, including the southern region, according to Israeli media reports. The statement comes amid the ongoing IDF presence in southern Lebanon under the conditional ceasefire with Hezbollah.
The Lebanese Foreign Minister stated Monday that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have the capabilities required to take control of the entire country, including the southern region, according to a report by ynet. The remark constitutes a strong assertion of the LAF's readiness to assume full security responsibility in the south, where the IDF has maintained a presence since the 2023-2024 war.
The statement comes amid ongoing political and military tensions over the IDF's continued operations in southern Lebanon. Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Israel Katz and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, have repeatedly emphasized that the IDF retains full freedom of action and will not withdraw until security conditions are met, as The Zioneer has reported. The Lebanese government has been pressing for an Israeli withdrawal and for the LAF to take over the area, but the IDF has cited persistent Hezbollah threats.
The FM's comments are also consistent with earlier statements by Lebanese President Michel Aoun, who said the army bears full responsibility in the south after an IDF withdrawal. However, the actual deployment of the LAF in the south remains conditional on an Israeli withdrawal, which has not yet occurred.
The remark is developing as a single-source report; no further details on the FM's statement or the context of the interview were provided.
- ConfirmedIDF: Troops have full freedom of action across southern Lebanon against any threat
- StrongLebanese President Aoun: Army holds full responsibility in southern Lebanon after IDF withdrawal
- DevelopingIDF to hand over two areas in southern Lebanon to Lebanese army under agreement
- DevelopingKatz: IDF has full backing, freedom of action against all threats in Lebanon, Gaza
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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