Israel has continued to violate the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, with the latest strikes on the south of the country killing one person on Sunday, while the country’s President Joseph Aoun stressed that they would not be dragged into a war.
In recent days, Israel has intensified its attacks on south Lebanon, particularly in areas north of the Litani River in the Bekaa Valley.
The Lebanese ministry of health confirmed that an Israeli strike on a vehicle in Bint Jbeil killed one person.
According to reports, Israel warned residents to evacuate from the Kfar Hatta area before pummelling it with strikes, despite the Lebanese army being deployed in the area to inspect sites.
This comes as Aoun reiterated that "attacks are still ongoing and will likely continue – but the spectre of a major war which people expect, is not likely".
He added that the country was taking steps to "definitively avert war".
In a TV interview marking a year since he was elected as president, he added: "I am not saying the war is over, but the spectre of war has been averted".
He also addressed Hezbollah, calling on the group to disarm and saying that they have served their purpose, and that the army would now be responsible for protecting citizens.
"It is time for you to come to your senses. Either you are truly part of the state, or you are not," he said.
He added that Hezbollah had become "a burden on its community and on Lebanon as a whole".
Under heavy US pressure and fearing expanded Israeli strikes, Lebanon has committed to disarming the Iran-backed group, which was badly weakened by its war with Israel.
Aoun also said that Israel’s attacks must come to an end, and that they must withdraw from Lebanon to help expedite the process of disarming groups in the country.
Lebanon's army said Thursday that it had completed "the first phase" of its disarmament plan, covering the area south of the Litani - around 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the Israeli border - with the intention to extend it to the rest of the country.
Meanwhile, sources told The New Arab’s sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that "Lebanon has not received any external guarantees, especially from the United States, that there will be no large-scale Israeli war. Therefore, these statements are not based on guarantees".
The sources added that there have been renewed, intensified steps taken to stabilise Lebanon, prevent the situation from deteriorating and facilitate reconstruction.