Aoun tells UN delegation Lebanon will not accept war with Israel again

President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to disarming armed groups and stressed that the country does not want war with Israel, saying talks with Tel Aviv aim to end the conflict rather than escalate it.

Aoun made the remarks on Friday during a meeting with a visiting UN Security Council delegation accompanied by US special envoy Morgan Ortagus.

Addressing the delegation, Aoun said the Lebanese "do not want war again. The Lebanese people have suffered enough, and there will be no going back", according to a statement from the presidency.

He called on the envoys to support the Lebanese army’s efforts to implement the government’s decision to disarm armed groups. The army is expected to complete the first phase of the plan, focusing on areas south of the Litani River, by the end of the year.

"The Lebanese army will play its full role. The international community must support and assist it," Aoun said, adding there is "no going back" on the decision, "even if it requires some time, because the Lebanese are tired of military confrontations".

The visit comes days after civilian representatives from Lebanon and Israel held their first talks since 1983, including Ortagus, amid growing US and Israeli pressure on Beirut to disarm Hezbollah and fears of a renewed Israeli assault.

The meeting, which included Lebanese diplomat Simon Karam and Israeli official Uri Reznik, took place on the sidelines of the monthly ceasefire monitoring committee set up after last year’s US-brokered truce between Israel and Hezbollah. The mechanism also includes American, French and UN representatives and meets at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura near the border.

Aoun said the talks aim to halt Israeli hostilities, secure the release of prisoners, arrange Israel's withdrawal and resolve disputed points along the Blue Line, referring to Israel's continued occupation of five strategic border hills.

He added that the success of negotiations depends first and foremost on Israel’s position and on strengthening Lebanon’s stability and security.

The next round of talks is scheduled for 19 December.

Aoun said the army's role is not limited to the south but extends across all Lebanese territory, requiring sustained international backing. He added that Lebanon would welcome any country willing to maintain forces in the south to assist the army after UNIFIL's withdrawal.

UNIFIL's mandate expires at the end of 2026. After meeting the delegation, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed the need for a supporting UN force to prevent a security vacuum and reinforce stability in the south. He suggested this could fall under the UN Truce Supervision Organisation or take the form of a smaller mission similar to UNDOF in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

The Security Council delegation voiced support for Lebanon’s stability, the implementation of international resolutions and assistance to the army, while reaffirming commitment to Resolution 1701 and the 2024 ceasefire. The delegation is expected to visit south Lebanon on Saturday.

Speaking briefly to reporters after meeting Speaker Nabih Berri, Ortagus described the talks as "very good", replying "inchallah" (Arabic for: if God wills) when asked if discussions were progressing well, before declining to answer questions about the risk of another war.

Berri warned the delegation that Israel’s ongoing attacks on Lebanon threaten to reignite the conflict. He said stability in the south requires Israel’s full commitment to Resolution 1701, an end to daily violations and a complete withdrawal behind the international border.

"Negotiations cannot and must not take place under fire," he said.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem also said his group supports the state’s diplomatic efforts to end Israeli attacks, while criticising the inclusion of a civilian representative in talks with Israel. He described the government’s August decision to task the army with disarming Hezbollah as a serious mistake.

Hezbollah was significantly weakened in last year’s war, losing senior commanders and much of its firepower. Large parts of south Lebanon, Beirut’s southern suburbs and towns in the eastern Beqaa remain in ruins following Israel’s offensive, which killed around 4,000 Lebanese, many of them civilians.