President Joseph Aoun spoke on Saturday after Israeli strikes on the southern town of Ansar killed seven members of one family, including three children and two women. A separate strike on Deir al‑Zahrani killed four people and wounded nine, bringing the total death toll from Saturday’s attacks to 11.
Aoun said the attacks were a clear message that Israel was not respecting the framework agreement, the military coordination mechanism and international protections for civilians. He warned that the strikes sent a direct signal about the negotiating track and the United States’ efforts to implement the framework.
The June framework, brokered with US involvement, calls for a phased Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, the deployment of the Lebanese army and measures to verify Hezbollah’s disarmament. It also outlines a mechanism for monitoring compliance.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam joined the condemnation, describing the escalation as dangerous. He warned that attacks on civilians could undermine efforts to stabilise southern Lebanon and jeopardise the peace process.
Israel said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in Ansar and the Ali al‑Taher area after identifying an action against Israeli soldiers near the strategic ridge outside Nabatieh. Hezbollah did not immediately claim responsibility for the target cited by Israel.
The Ali al‑Taher ridge has become a major point of contention. Lebanese media report that Israel is considering further action around the ridge, while Hezbollah opposes handing it over without a full Israeli withdrawal.
A Lebanese security official said Washington had told Beirut it could not completely prevent an Israeli operation but wanted any action to remain limited and not undermine the framework agreement.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel would maintain a long‑term presence in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah was disarmed. Katz clarified that the duration of the Israeli presence is linked to the implementation of the security arrangements.
The United States has criticised the idea of a permanent Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon. A US State Department official said the US expected all parties to act in accordance with the framework agreement and reiterated Washington’s support for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Lebanon and Israel have held seven rounds of US‑mediated talks, focusing on Israeli withdrawal, deployment of the Lebanese army and verification of Hezbollah’s disarmament. The negotiations remain complicated by disagreements over the sequencing of withdrawal and disarmament.
The Saturday strikes add uncertainty to the diplomatic process. Beirut accuses Israel of undermining negotiations, while Israel maintains that its operations are necessary to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its infrastructure.