Aoun: Lebanon Faces Fierce Israeli Aggression and Moves Towards Restoring the State

SadaNews - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun confirmed that Lebanon is facing what he described as "fierce and condemned Israeli aggression," stressing that the country continues, despite the challenges, to move "with heavy but steady steps" towards restoring the state and rebuilding its institutions.

Aoun's statements came during a speech delivered on the occasion of the 39th anniversary of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rashid Karami, where he confirmed that the current phase underscores the need for statesmen who prioritize the interests of the nation above any personal considerations, especially amid the difficult circumstances facing Lebanon.

The Lebanese president noted that the anniversary of Karami's assassination evokes a prominent model of national leadership, explaining that he was assassinated 39 years ago after a career dedicated to serving the Lebanese state.

Rashid Karami is considered one of the most prominent political figures in Lebanon's 20th-century history, having held the position of prime minister several times before being assassinated on June 1, 1987, following an attack targeting his helicopter.

Aoun added that Lebanon today lacks "voices that rise above the noise" and work to unify efforts instead of deepening divisions, emphasizing that Karami's legacy remains present as a symbol of the idea of a unified Lebanon, based on transcending sectarian divisions and narrow calculations, and on the belief that the state and its institutions are the fundamental guarantee for preserving the entity and coexistence.

He also emphasized that Karami embodied a model of national leadership that adhered to the unity of Lebanon, both land and people, and rejected slipping into divisions or disintegration, at a time when the need for this approach is escalating in the current phase.

The Lebanese president renewed his commitment to moving forward in the path of ending the suffering of the Lebanese, especially in the south, and working to put an end to it, reaffirming ongoing efforts to rebuild the state, achieve reform, and establish justice without retreat or compromise.

These statements come amid a continuingIsraeli military escalation against Lebanon, as Israel intensifies its attacks on cities and towns in the south, coinciding with the announcement by the Israeli army of control over the historical Shakif Castle, in a move described as the deepest within Lebanese territory in over a quarter of a century.

Since March 2, Israel has launched an extensive offensive against Lebanon that, according to the latest official data, has resulted in more than 3,371 martyrs and 10,000 injured, in addition to the displacement of over one million people.