During a meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General visiting war-torn Lebanon, Lebanon's new president demanded that Israel withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon before the January 26 deadline agreed in last year's ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
“Israel’s continued violations on land and in the air, especially the bombing of houses and the destruction of border villages, are completely contrary to the provisions of the ceasefire agreement and are considered a continuation of the violation of Lebanese sovereignty and the will of the international community. President Joseph Aoun’s office on Saturday Said after meeting with Antonio Guterres in Beirut.
Guterres said he would "do his utmost" to ensure the "safe" withdrawal of troops by the January 26 deadline set in the November 27 agreement.
Guterres said that under Aoun's leadership, Lebanon would have a "more promising future" and the country would become stable and become the center of the Middle East.
Aoun was elected in January under a deal between Lebanese parties that ended a two-year power vacuum that has further destabilized the country in the face of Israeli attacks and a shaky economy.
The president, a former army chief of staff, also highlighted his support for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which is tasked with ensuring security in the country's southern regions as part of Resolution 1701, which ended The 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Al Jazeera's Zeina Koder reported from Beirut that Guterres's message in Lebanon was one of support for the new president and new prime minister, Nawaf Salam.
"What Guterres is saying is that the international community will support them and help them in their recovery efforts. Lebanon has been through a difficult few years. The economy has almost collapsed, the country has been almost bankrupt, there has been a financial crisis and the currency has depreciated significantly."
As part of the ceasefire, Hezbollah is supposed to retreat beyond the Litani River, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure.
Guterres said on Friday that UN peacekeepers had discovered more than 100 weapons caches belonging to "Hezbollah or other armed groups" in southern Lebanon and called on Israel to end its "occupation" of the area.
As Israeli troops gradually withdraw, the Lebanese army, along with UN peacekeepers, is gradually deployed to more areas in the south.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited Beirut on Friday, said Israel must "accelerate" a full withdrawal from the region and strengthen the Lebanese army.
The United States announced on Saturday it would provide more than $117 million to Lebanon, as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pledged more international support to the country during his visit.
The U.S. State Department said in a statement that the funds will be provided as part of "new and expanded security assistance" to the Lebanese army and security forces in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.
The Lebanese army, the United Nations and France have accused Israel of repeated "violations" of the ceasefire agreement as it launched multiple attacks to "enforce" the agreement.
Hezbollah leader Naeem Qasim said in a televised address on Saturday that the Israeli military had violated the agreement "hundreds of times."
"We have been patient with these violations in order to provide opportunities for the Lebanese state responsible for this agreement, as well as the international sponsors, but I call on you not to test our patience," he said.