Lebanon President Joseph Aoun urges US support after US‑brokered Lebanon‑Israel peace pact

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun appealed to the United States on Tuesday, asking Washington to maintain its backing for Lebanon following a US‑mediated agreement with Israel aimed at establishing a lasting peace. The accord, signed in Washington on 26 June, stipulates that the Lebanese army will regain authority in the south once Hezbollah disarms and that Israeli forces will withdraw from designated pilot zones.

The cease‑fire, put into effect on 21 June after a protocol signed on 17 June, has enabled more than 600,000 displaced residents – out of over one million – to return home, according to the UN International Organization for Migration. Lebanese social affairs minister Haneen Saïd said the government plans to build prefabricated housing and provide rental subsidies to aid the remaining displaced families.

Despite the pause, Israel continues intermittent strikes near its former positions in southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese news agency reporting a recent Israeli shelling near Tyre that injured one person. The conflict earlier this year caused around 4,300 deaths in Lebanon, according to Beirut authorities.