Lebanese President Demands Army Confront Any Israeli Incursion After Municipality Employee Killed in Blida

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday instructed Army Commander Rudolph Hekal to ensure the Lebanese Army confronts any Israeli incursion into southern Lebanon, following an early morning raid that resulted in the death of a Lebanese employee.

Incident Details and Lebanese Stance

• The Incursion and Victim: Army Commander Hekal briefed President Aoun on the details of the Israeli incursion that occurred in the town of Blida at dawn on Thursday, which resulted in the killing of employee Ibrahim Salameh while he was sleeping inside the municipality building (located about one kilometer from the border).

• President Aoun's Condemnation: Aoun considered the attack part of a series of "aggressive Israeli practices." He criticized the mechanism for monitoring the cessation of hostilities agreement, stating it "should not be content with merely recording facts but must work to stop them by pressuring Israel" to abide by the November agreement and cease violating Lebanese sovereignty.

• Government Outrage: The killing of Salameh sparked widespread anger. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the incursion and the direct targeting of the employee, calling it a "flagrant aggression against Lebanese state institutions and its sovereignty."

• Raid Details: Reports indicated that the Israeli force breached the building where the employee was staying for about two hours. Videos showed traces of the gunfire that hit him and struck the building's walls.

Israeli Position and Background Tension

• Israeli Army Comment: The Israeli Army commented on the incident, stating that it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure but made no mention of the killing of employee Ibrahim Salameh.

• Continuous Ceasefire Violation: Israel continues to launch raids on various areas of Lebanon, particularly the south, despite the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on November 27th last year. Israeli forces also remain present in 5 points in southern Lebanon.