BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, addressing Hezbollah and its allies on Thursday, called for a return to state legitimacy as the foundation of national resilience.
In a speech, Aoun demanded the disarmament of Hezbollah and extension of the Lebanese state’s authority over all its territory.
Addressing the militant group on Army Day, he said: “To those who have confronted aggression, and to their honorable national community, your reliance should be only on the Lebanese state. Otherwise, your sacrifices will be in vain, and the state, or what remains of its institutions, will collapse.”
The Lebanese president stressed the precarious moment the country faces, describing the region as suspended between chaos and opportunity.
Lebanon is grappling with a years-long economic crisis and a fragile sectarian political system that have further eroded the state’s ability to exercise its authority.
