Heikal said in a statement that “Lebanon is facing challenges, primarily the threats and assaults by the Israeli enemy on our country and the peoples of the region,” emphasizing that “the army will not hesitate to thwart any attempt to undermine security and civil peace or drag the nation into strife.” Heikal added that “the army continues to carry out its missions and extend state authority over all its territories,” stressing that “the army continues to implement its assigned tasks, from maintaining security and combating crime, to border control and implementing Resolution 1701 in cooperation with UNIFIL.” The ceasefire agreement between “Hezbollah” and Israel entered into force on November 27, 2024, more than a year after “Hezbollah” opened what it called “a support front for the Gaza Strip.” Israel has maintained its military presence at 5 strategic points in southern Lebanon, justifying this by “ensuring the protection of northern settlements, and continued to launch attacks on Lebanon from time to time.”
