Lebanese President Joseph Aoun put forward a plan at the White House during his meeting with US President Donald Trump that includes the disarmament of Hezbollah and Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon. In the Oval Office meeting, Trump said Lebanon has been 'treated very badly' and that 'there is a Hezbollah problem.' Aoun told Trump, 'This will be your legacy. Together we can achieve this goal.'
The plan envisions Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon under the agreement reached on June 26 and the disarmament of Hezbollah. Hours before Aoun's meeting with Trump, the Lebanese army began taking control of southern areas vacated by Israeli forces.
New War and Heavy Losses
However, in the second year of Aoun's presidency, a new war broke out after Hezbollah opened fire on Israel on March 2. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, more than 4,300 people were killed in the Israeli air and ground offensive. Around 800 of the dead were children, women, and health workers.
After the war, Aoun took a historic step by calling for direct negotiations with Israel. The call led to the highest-level contacts between the two countries in decades. Aoun criticized Hezbollah for starting the war, saying 'Lebanon was destroyed for the sake of Iran.'
Military Background and Political Path
The 62-year-old Aoun is a career soldier and Maronite Christian. At his swearing-in ceremony, he pledged to emphasize 'the state's monopoly on the possession of weapons.' His first year in office was spent on efforts to disarm Hezbollah.
Aoun began his career as a platoon commander in an army commando unit during the 1975-1990 civil war and later led operations against ISIS militants on the Syria-Lebanon border. He commanded the army during the country's 2019 financial collapse and criticized the leadership, saying soldiers were going hungry alongside the people.
His election ended a two-year vacuum that followed the end of the term of former President Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally.
