Israeli Raid South of Beirut & Lebanese Government Focus on Army Plan
On Tuesday,the Israeli army reported detecting the launch of two rockets from Lebanon towards Israel,with the intended target initially unclear.This followed an Israeli air strike near the coastal town of Jaya,located 30 km south of Beirut,for which the Israeli army offered no immediate comment.
The raid occured a day after Israel conducted air strikes in the Hermel area of the Bekaa region, northeast Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of five individuals, including members of Hezbollah, according to the Associated Press.
Amidst continued Israeli raids as the november 27 ceasefire, the Lebanese government is focusing on an army plan concerning weapons control. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam confirmed the government’s support for the army’s plan, stating that “welcome means positive dealing and not retracting its implementation.” He emphasized a strong relationship with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri,both as a political leader and head of the legislative authority.
Salam reiterated the government’s firm stance on exclusive weapons, grounding its approach in the Taif Agreement and the Ministerial statement. He clarified that the government is pursuing a “national security strategy” as pledged in its ministerial statement, and has agreed to the “goals” outlined in the Tom Brak paper, which includes a proposal for an international conference for reconstruction. He also condemned Israeli violations and called for the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the five points in southern Lebanon, expressing hope for a new conference to support the lebanese army.The united states has been urging Lebanon to facilitate the withdrawal of Hezbollah’s weapons from all Lebanese lands, a demand rejected by Hezbollah and its ally Nabih Berri.
Previous government sessions on August 5 and 7 resulted in what the government described as “past” decisions: a plan with a timetable for withdrawing weapons from all Lebanese territory, including Palestinian camps, and approval of the American envoy Tom Brak’s paper. This paper proposes simultaneous steps for Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon and release Lebanese prisoners in exchange for hezbollah handing over its weapons.
A September 5 session saw Shiite representatives temporarily leave discussions regarding weapons due to a lack of agreement. However, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri expressed satisfaction with the ”government statement summary,” believing it had averted a potential crisis within the country.
