Lebanon is prepared to fully implement a United Nations resolution that aims to disarm Hezbollah south of the Litani River and deploy its military to the area, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced. Speaking after a meeting with House Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut, Mikati confirmed that Lebanon was ready to enforce UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which originally sought to end Hezbollah’s armed presence in southern Lebanon following the 2006 war with Israel.
Mikati also stated that Lebanon’s parliament would elect a new president once a cease-fire with Israel was established, ending a nearly two-year vacancy in the country’s top political position. His remarks come as Israeli forces continue a series of strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing several commanders over the past two weeks.
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The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that over 1,000 people have died and 6,000 have been injured in the ongoing conflict, although it did not specify how many were civilians. Additionally, around 1 million people—approximately one-fifth of Lebanon’s population—have been displaced.
Mikati reiterated Lebanon’s commitment to sending its army south of the Litani River as soon as a cease-fire is in place, coordinating with UN peacekeepers to fulfill its responsibilities under Resolution 1701. The resolution had previously called for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and for only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers to be armed in the region.