The President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, condemned Israel’s targeting and destruction of vital infrastructure and facilities in southern Lebanon, especially the “Qasimiya Bridge on the Litani River” and other bridges.
He stressed that these attacks represent a dangerous escalation and a clear violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, considering them a prelude to a ground invasion that Lebanon has always warned through diplomatic means against falling into. He explained that these trends reveal a dangerous tendency toward the systematic destruction of infrastructure, civilian facilities, and residential areas in Lebanese villages, which amounts to a “policy of collective punishment against civilians,” which is unacceptable, reprehensible, and unjustified, and explicitly contradicts the rules of “international humanitarian law” that prohibit targeting civilians and their basic facilities.
President Aoun added that targeting the bridges of the Litani River, which represents a lifeline for the movement of civilians, is considered an attempt to sever geographical communication between the southern Litani region and the rest of Lebanese territory, and hinders the arrival of humanitarian aid, and comes within suspicious plans aimed at “establishing a buffer zone,” perpetuating the reality of the occupation, and seeking Israeli expansion within Lebanese territory.
In the face of this escalation, Lebanon appealed to the international community, specifically the United Nations and members of the Security Council, to assume their responsibilities and take urgent measures to deter Israel from continuing this aggression, stressing that continuing silence or inaction encourages violations to move forward and weakens the credibility of the international community.
