Aoun Comments on the Southern Suburb Strike and Calls for International Intervention to Stop Israel

SadaNews - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun considered that Israel's targeting of the southern suburb on Sunday afternoon, coinciding with the anniversary of Lebanon's independence, constitutes "additional evidence" that it does not heed repeated calls to stop its aggressions and rejects the application of international resolutions and efforts aimed at curbing escalation and restoring stability to Lebanon and the region.

Aoun stated in a statement that "Lebanon, which has committed to cease hostilities for nearly a year, presenting initiative after initiative, renews its call to the international community to assume its responsibilities and intervene decisively and seriously to stop the aggressions against Lebanon and its people, to prevent any deterioration that would bring back tensions to the region and to stem further bloodshed."

According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, the airstrike that targeted the Haret Hreik area in the southern suburb resulted in the death of one person and injuries to 21 others. The ministry stated that "the enemy's Israeli raid resulted in the initial toll of one martyr and injuries to 21 others."

The strike followed an announcement by the Israeli army that it had targeted what it described as the "chief of staff of Hezbollah," referring to prominent leader Ali Tabtabai, within an area considered to be the most securely fortified for the party. Analysts believe that the operation is a precise assassination that reflects, according to field assessments, an intelligence breach that enabled the identification of the target's location deep within the suburb.

In this context, a senior American official stated that Israel did not inform Washington in advance of the operation, but only briefed it after the execution, despite the U.S. administration's knowledge that Tel Aviv was preparing to escalate its operations.