Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is preparing for an official visit to the United States at the invitation of President Donald Trump. Aoun met with U.S. Ambassador Michelle Issa to discuss the upcoming trip and review the security situation in southern Lebanon. The meeting focused on strengthening the existing ceasefire in the region and addressing ongoing cross-border hostilities.

According to a statement from the Lebanese presidency, Aoun urged the United States to pressure Israel to halt attacks and fully implement the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement. He also called for an end to Israeli shelling and demolition activities in occupied Lebanese towns. Ambassador Issa said Aoun’s visit reflects Trump’s commitment to Lebanon’s stability and announced a follow-up meeting in Rome on July 14–15 involving representatives from Lebanon, the U.S., and Israel.

Issa further noted that a U.S. military delegation will arrive in Beirut within days to coordinate the handover of several areas to the Lebanese army following the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Amnesty International has called for an investigation into Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon as possible war crimes. In a statement released on Thursday, the human rights organization said that during fighting with Hezbollah, Israel carried out air raids that wiped out entire families. Amnesty reviewed three Israeli attacks on civilian homes between March 6 and 13, which killed 24 people, including 12 children.

The organization stated that these incidents should be investigated as war crimes, emphasizing that the strikes destroyed entire families. Amnesty also reported that when it asked the Israeli military about the purpose or targets of the three attacks, no specific information was provided.

The statement, citing Al Jazeera as a source, underscores growing concern over civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is scheduled to visit the White House at the end of July to meet U.S. President Donald Trump. The visit aims to advance a framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel. Preparations for the trip began after a 17-minute phone conversation between the two leaders, which Aoun described as positive. He confirmed the plan in an interview with Lebanon’s daily An-Nahar.

Aoun acknowledged that the framework deal with Israel is not ideal but said it reflects the current balance of power in southern Lebanon, which favors Israel. He emphasized that the agreement is only a framework, not a final treaty, and warned against betting on divisions within the Lebanese army. Aoun stated that the deal would not halt Lebanon’s struggle to reclaim occupied territories.

The president added that a pilot security deployment will begin in Zawtar, Nabatieh district, where Lebanese forces will assume control of certain towns as Israeli troops gradually withdraw. He also noted that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked to ensure Lebanese control over the nearby Ali al-Taher mountain, a proposal reportedly accepted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Lebanese army has neutralized four large unexploded Israeli bombs and munitions left behind after recent airstrikes in southern Lebanon. According to an official military statement, bomb disposal experts carried out the operation in the Nabatieh region’s Mifdoun area and in the Bint Jbeil district’s Baraashit, Kafr Dunin, and Shaqra towns. The bombs were safely defused as part of ongoing efforts to clear remnants of the attacks.

The army urged residents in affected areas to remain on high alert and to immediately report any suspicious objects or explosive materials to the nearest military camp or authority. The statement emphasized public safety amid continuing risks from unexploded ordnance in the aftermath of Israeli strikes.

The clearance operation reflects Lebanon’s continued efforts to secure civilian areas following cross-border hostilities, though the source did not specify the timing or scale of the preceding attacks.

Three Israeli soldiers were injured, one critically, during a military operation in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon, according to reports published on Friday by Lebanon-based outlet Al Mayadeen. The Israeli army stated that the incident occurred when a unit from the 679th Brigade entered a building and came under fire from an armed fighter. Following the clash, Israeli warplanes carried out an airstrike on the building and conducted a search operation, but the fighter’s location remained unconfirmed.

Despite a ceasefire framework brokered by the United States and regional understandings, Israeli forces have continued operations in parts of southern Lebanon. Earlier in the week, two Israeli reserve soldiers were injured, one seriously, in an explosive attack targeting a field command post in Aita al-Shaab. A day before that, a Hezbollah fighter’s assault in Deir Siryan killed an Israeli captain and wounded another soldier.

According to Israel’s Channel 12, between April 17 and June 20, 2026, Israeli forces carried out 637 military operations in Lebanon, including 440 inside the so-called “Yellow Line” and 187 in occupied Palestinian territories.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declared that Lebanon will not surrender even an inch of its territory to Israel, emphasizing that the government’s ongoing discussions with Israel do not amount to surrender or betrayal. His statement was released by the presidential office on Thursday, according to Al Jazeera.

Aoun said it is time for Lebanon to move beyond the era of war and subjugation, noting that most Lebanese people, especially those in the southern region, support this path toward dignity and security. The government has recently faced criticism from those who believe that the current agreement with Israel compromises Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Rejecting these allegations, Aoun asserted that the structural terms of the understanding do not conflict with Lebanon’s rights or fundamental principles but instead aim to ensure their full protection. He added that those who respect the principle of sovereignty should also respect the state’s decisions in this context.

Lebanon and Syria have signed an agreement pledging mutual respect for each other's sovereignty and a commitment not to interfere in internal affairs. The accord was signed in Beirut on Thursday in the presence of Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Shaibani, and delegations from both countries, according to Al Jazeera.

Lebanon’s state news agency reported that the agreement emphasizes respect for sovereignty, independence, national unity, and territorial integrity of both nations. It also highlights equality between the two sides and adherence to the principle of non-interference in domestic matters.

The understanding comes at a time when both Lebanon and Syria are facing Israeli military attacks and occupation operations. The two neighboring countries are also dealing with heightened security challenges along their shared border and broader regional instability.

United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, stated that around one million people have been displaced in the country due to Israeli aggression. Speaking at a seminar in Beirut on Tuesday, he said that 1.4 million people in Lebanon currently require humanitarian assistance.

Riza emphasized that while aid is essential, relief supplies alone cannot address the scale of the crisis. He described the emergency as not only humanitarian but also deeply connected to Lebanon’s social and economic conditions, noting that the crisis is closely linked to the labor market.

Despite a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States, Israeli attacks have continued in southern Lebanon. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, at least 4,278 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since March 2.

At least 4,257 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon, according to the country’s health ministry. The ministry reported that more than 12,000 others have been injured since the strikes began on March 2. The ongoing violence has severely affected civilians and worsened the humanitarian situation across Lebanon.

After months of direct negotiations, Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement on Friday with mediation from the United States. However, the deal does not include any obligation for Israel to withdraw its forces from occupied Lebanese territories. This omission has raised new concerns about the durability of the agreement and the prospects for peace.

Despite continued diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, the absence of a clear commitment to troop withdrawal has left the situation uncertain, with humanitarian conditions deteriorating further as casualties continue to rise.

Israel’s military announced it destroyed a 200-meter-long tunnel used by Hezbollah in the southern Lebanese town of Maydal Zoun. The operation, confirmed Sunday in a joint statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, was reportedly coordinated with the United States beforehand. The tunnel allegedly contained hundreds of weapons and rocket launchers. Hours earlier, Israeli forces said they had struck Hezbollah fighters and a rocket launcher in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon.

The strike came two days after Lebanon and Israel agreed to a U.S.-mediated security arrangement aimed at easing border tensions. The deal includes deploying Lebanese troops and a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of southern Lebanon, while allowing Israel to maintain a presence in an expanded security zone. Hezbollah condemned the Israeli attacks as a clear violation of the ceasefire, asserting its right to defend Lebanon and its people.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the new security agreement, calling it a surrender to Israel and vowing to continue armed resistance. The conflict, running parallel to the Iran war, has displaced over one million Lebanese citizens, according to the report.

Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah has accused Israeli forces of violating a ceasefire agreement and declared its right to defend the country. The group stated that Israeli military aircraft carried out multiple attacks across southern Lebanon on Sunday, targeting residential buildings in Nabatieh and nearby Mayfadoun, as well as open areas in Faroun and the town of Bint Jbeil. Drone strikes and explosions were also reported in the Taybeh and Hadatha areas.

In a statement, Hezbollah said it was closely monitoring what it described as repeated breaches of the ceasefire and reaffirmed its right to protect Lebanon and its people. The group’s claims come amid ongoing tensions despite a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran that was intended to end hostilities across all fronts, including Lebanon.

According to the report, Israel has continued intense and sustained attacks in Lebanon since early March, raising concerns about renewed escalation in the region.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has rejected the framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel under U.S. mediation. In a statement issued Saturday, following the fifth round of Beirut-Tel Aviv talks held in Washington on Friday, Qassem declared the deal null and void and demanded the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory in line with the Iran-U.S. memorandum of understanding.

Qassem warned that linking the disarmament of Lebanese resistance forces to the withdrawal of Israeli troops was a dangerous move that crossed all boundaries, arguing it would turn Lebanon into a puppet of its enemy. His remarks came amid growing debate in Lebanon over the agreement, with some media outlets and lawmakers describing it as historic and potentially beneficial, while others condemned it as a unilateral concession to Israel.

According to Lebanese authorities, more than 4,000 people have been killed and over 4,000 injured in Israeli attacks since March 2, underscoring the tense backdrop to the negotiations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is fully disarmed. His remarks came even after Beirut and Tel Aviv reached a tripartite structural agreement aimed at ending months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Netanyahu described the agreement as a major blow to Iran, saying Tehran had sought to force an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

The agreement followed five rounds of negotiations organized by the Donald Trump administration in Washington, where Lebanon and Israel agreed to the framework with U.S. participation. Before the signing, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the deal marked only the beginning of a longer process. In a written statement, he announced that the United States would provide 100 million dollars in humanitarian aid for affected areas under UN coordination and an additional 30 million dollars to support Lebanon’s armed forces.

The developments reflect ongoing regional tensions involving Israel, Lebanon, and Iran, with Washington playing a mediating and financial support role.

The United States Department of State has released a 14-point framework or understanding agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which had been signed earlier in Washington DC. Under the agreement, Lebanon’s army will gradually assume full and effective security responsibility in designated ‘pilot zones’. Israel and Lebanon have initially agreed on two such zones, though their names remain undisclosed. Additional areas may be added later by mutual consent.

The Lebanese government will reassert exclusive state control over the use of force and ensure the complete and verified disarmament of all non-state armed groups, a clause understood to refer to Hezbollah. Israel stated that eliminating threats from such groups would remove the need for future Israeli military operations or presence in Lebanon. It also affirmed having no territorial ambitions toward Lebanon.

The agreement includes US coordination to mobilize international partners for Lebanon’s reconstruction. Israel and Lebanon will form a joint working group to draft a comprehensive peace and security agreement. Separately, the US pledged major resources to break the cycle of violence, announcing $100 million in humanitarian aid through the UN and over $30 million in reimbursements to Lebanon’s army.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has warned that Israel must withdraw from Lebanon without any conditions. Speaking in a live broadcast on Friday, he said Israel’s presence in Lebanon was not due to missile threats but to occupy and control the country. Qassem emphasized that Hezbollah’s restraint was a deliberate strategy of patience, describing endurance as the only path to victory.

He declared that Hezbollah would not disarm north of the Litani River and that any discussion on weapons would occur only after Israel’s complete and unconditional withdrawal. Qassem claimed Israel’s aggression aimed to eliminate Hezbollah but said the group had successfully resisted. He urged Lebanese authorities to unite against the enemy and reject external interference, particularly from the United States and Israel.

Qassem also commented on a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, calling it a formal declaration of defeat for both the U.S. and Israel, asserting that Iran’s steadfastness led to the agreement.