Lebanese PM says willing to deploy army south of Litani River, fully implement UN resolution

By Reuters and ToI Staff 30 September 2024, 2:09 pm

Edit

This handout picture provided by the Lebanese Prime Minister's press office shows Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivering a statement to the press in Beirut on September 29, 2024. (Lebanese Prime Minister's Press Office / AFP)

The Lebanese government is ready to fully implement a UN resolution that had aimed to end Hezbollah’s armed presence south of the Litani River, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati says.

Mikati says Lebanon is ready to fully implement the 2006 UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and deploy the Lebanese army south of the river, which lies about 30 km (around 20 miles) from Lebanon’s southern border.

Hezbollah is barred under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 from maintaining a military presence south of the Litani, however the terror group has blatantly violated that resolution.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant strongly hinted today that the IDF was preparing to launch a ground offensive to remove the terror group from the border area and allow 60,000 displaced Israelis to return home in northern Israel.

Mikati also says he and House Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, had agreed that electing a new president to end a near two-year vacancy at the top post would only happen after a potential ceasefire takes hold. The comments were delivered after the pair met in Beirut.