Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday called on the international community to back efforts to disarm Hezbollah, warning that the militant group’s operations outside State control are dragging Lebanon into conflict and putting civilians at serious risk.

“In response to the latest escalation, the Lebanese government issued a clear, final decision on March 2 banning any military or security activity by Hezbollah,” Aoun said during a virtual meeting hosted by European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “We are determined to enforce this decisively.”

Speaking via Zoom, Aoun painted a stark picture of the humanitarian toll following recent Israeli strikes and Hezbollah’s provocations.

“Right now, more than 600,000 of my citizens have been displaced—some are living on the streets, without shelter or even basic necessities,” he said. “In just the past few days, over 400 people have been killed, including 83 children and 42 women, and more than 1,100 have been injured.”

Aoun said Lebanon is caught “between an aggressor that ignores the laws of war and international humanitarian law, and an armed group operating outside the State that shows no regard for Lebanon’s interests or the lives of its people.”

He described the rocket attack from Lebanon that triggered the current conflict as “an almost open trap for Lebanon, its government, and its people.”

“We believe these rockets were intended as a trap for Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces,” Aoun said. “The goal was to lure the Israeli army into Lebanese territory, to invade parts of it, and potentially occupy it. Lebanon was being cornered with two terrible choices: either engage in a direct confrontation with an Israeli force unconstrained by law or human decency—turning Lebanon into a ‘second Gaza’ with millions displaced—or hold back, allowing the armed group to portray the State as incapable of protecting its people."

"They would then claim their weapons, outside State control, are legitimate and necessary, undermining the Lebanese government from within," Aoun added. "Either way, Lebanon loses—either from external aggression or from internal manipulation. This is why we are committed to enforcing State authority and ending the unchecked operations of armed groups in our country.”

He added that the perpetrators “sought to bring down the Lebanese State under aggression and chaos, even at the cost of destroying dozens of villages and tens of thousands of our citizens, all to serve the calculations of the Iranian regime. So far, we have prevented that, and we will continue to prevent it.”

Aoun outlined a step-by-step plan Lebanon has proposed to de-escalate tensions and secure its borders.

“For months we’ve suggested a phased approach: Israel would withdraw from at least one occupied area, and Lebanon would take full control, verified by international observers. Then we would proceed to the next area, eventually regaining full control over all our territory and negotiating a permanent ceasefire and lasting security arrangements with Israel, consistent with international resolutions. Unfortunately, this proposal has not received a response,” he said.

He urged the international community to support a new initiative, which includes establishing a full ceasefire, halting Israeli attacks, providing logistical support to the Lebanese Armed Forces, and allowing the military to seize Hezbollah weapons and secure flashpoint areas.

At the same time, Lebanon and Israel should begin direct, internationally mediated talks to implement these measures, the president stressed. 

Aoun also reaffirmed Lebanon’s solidarity with Arab States targeted by Iran, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, and Jordan, as well as friendly nations such as Azerbaijan, Turkey, and neighboring Cyprus.