BEIRUT/WASHINGTON/PARIS – Lebanon is determined to “regain every inch of its land under Israeli occupation,” Lebanese Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal said Tuesday during an inspection tour of military units in northern .
According to Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA), Haykal condemned recent Israeli attacks on Lebanese forces, offering condolences for a soldier killed Friday and wishing a swift recovery to those wounded after an army patrol came under fire while carrying out a security operation in the Bab al-Tabbaneh area.
Civil peace remains “the strongest weapon” to protect Lebanon, he said, warning that any attempt to undermine or question the military institution, knowingly or not, serves “the objectives of the Israeli occupation” and risks fueling internal strife.
Earlier in the day, the NNA reported that Israeli forces escalated operations across southern Lebanon at dawn, carrying out widespread demolitions, stepping up aerial surveillance, and issuing evacuation warnings despite an ongoing 10-day ceasefire.
The development underscored continued tensions along Lebanon’s southern border, with repeated reports of Israeli destruction and military activity despite the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, which took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday local time (2100 GMT).
Amid the tensions, Lebanon’s Disaster Risk Management Unit reported Tuesday that the number of displaced people in shelters has reached 118,624, including 30,815 families, while the death toll has climbed to 2,454 and injuries to 7,658.
Hezbollah launches rocket, drone attacks
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it launched rockets and attack drones at an Israeli artillery position in the settlement of Kfar Giladi on Tuesday evening, marking an escalation despite an ongoing ceasefire.
The group said in a statement that the attack targeted the source of recent Israeli artillery fire toward the Lebanese town of Yahmar al-Shaqif, describing the strike as a response to what it called repeated Israeli violations of the ceasefire since it took effect, including attacks on civilians and destruction of homes in southern Lebanon.
Report: Israel-Lebanon talks to resume in Washington
Also on Tuesday, US media reported Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold their second ambassador-level talks at the US State Department in Washington, DC.
Israel and Lebanon will again be represented by their ambassadors to the United States, Yechiel Leiter and Nada Hamadeh Moawad, respectively.
A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday, following weeks of intensified cross-border fighting amid the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Israel and Lebanon have no formal diplomatic relations, and Hezbollah has long been viewed by Israel as a “proxy” of Iran. The negotiating party with Israel is the Lebanese government, not Hezbollah.
Macron: Israel must renounce territorial ambitions in Lebanon
In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that Israel must “renounce its territorial ambitions” in Lebanon, calling for a political settlement to ensure regional stability.
Speaking at a press conference after meeting with visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Macron urged a “political agreement” between Israel and Lebanon to guarantee security for both countries, safeguard Lebanon’s territorial integrity, and pave the way for normalized relations.
Macron also warned that the European Union (EU) could reconsider its ties with Israel if its policies remain unchanged. He said suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement – which has governed trade relations since 2000 – would become a “legitimate question” under such circumstances.