Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Friday condemned continued Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, saying powerful explosions at the historic Beaufort Castle constituted a dangerous escalation that directly threatened the implementation of the US-mediated framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, Anadolu reports.
In a statement carried by Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), Aoun denounced what he described as ongoing Israeli violations, particularly explosions targeting infrastructure and archaeological sites listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites, saying they caused extensive damage across southern Lebanese villages and endangered civilians.
He said the powerful explosions recorded Friday at Beaufort Castle generated seismic waves equivalent to a 3.8-magnitude earthquake, according to Lebanon’s National Center for Geophysics.
Aoun described the blasts as “a highly dangerous escalation” and “a blatant violation of existing commitments,” warning that they represented “a direct threat to the process launched under the framework agreement,” whose obligations Lebanon has committed to implementing.
He said the timing of the attacks, on the eve of a meeting in Rome to continue discussions on implementing the trilateral framework, “sends negative messages and undermines international efforts aimed at consolidating stability.”
