Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has directed the country’s armed forces to confront any further Israeli incursions into southern Lebanon after Israeli troops crossed the border and killed a municipal worker during an overnight raid. The order came as Israeli air strikes hit several parts of the south, including the villages of Mahmoudiyeh and Jarmak.
State media reported that Israeli forces stormed the town hall in Blida, killing municipal worker Ibrahim Salameh, who was asleep inside the building. The Israeli military confirmed it carried out the operation, saying its troops opened fire after identifying an “immediate threat,” though it provided no evidence.
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President Aoun condemned the attack as another violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and the ceasefire agreement that came into effect last November. He urged the United Nations monitoring committee to press Israel to halt its repeated breaches. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also described the raid as a “blatant attack” on state institutions.
Hezbollah has welcomed Aoun’s decision, pledging support for the Lebanese army. The armed group, which has fought multiple wars with Israel, accused Tel Aviv of trying to destabilise Lebanon through continuous air strikes. The United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon says it is investigating the incident.
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