Overview
- France hosted leaders and military chiefs in Paris on Thursday to design donor support and options for a temporary multinational presence after the U.N. peacekeeping force leaves at the end of the year.
- President Joseph Aoun told AFP he wants a formal security agreement with Israel once its troops withdraw as a pragmatic step that could pave the way for a later peace process.
- Aoun reiterated that Lebanon will seek the disarmament of Hezbollah but stressed the goal is a peaceful transition that avoids a confrontation or renewed civil conflict.
- Officials and diplomats say the Lebanese Armed Forces are underfunded and underequipped and that urgent international training, weapons, intelligence sharing and donor financing are needed before the army can deploy across the south.
- Recent Israeli strikes that caused civilian casualties have raised the urgency of a replacement plan and increased the risk that delays in implementation could allow a renewed campaign in southern Lebanon.