Speaking during a meeting with a delegation from the Culture and Freedom Foundation led by former justice minister Ibrahim Najjar, Aoun dismissed calls for Lebanon to abandon the negotiations and said the government would continue pursuing talks until a settlement serving Lebanon’s national interests is achieved.

“We will not withdraw and we will continue until we reach a conclusion that benefits our nation,” Aoun said, according to remarks released by the presidency.

The Lebanese leader emphasized the role of state institutions in preserving sovereignty and stability, arguing that national authority remains the foundation for addressing the country’s security and political challenges.

Aoun’s comments come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilize the Israel-Lebanon frontier following months of conflict that have displaced large numbers of civilians and caused extensive damage in southern Lebanon.

Earlier, in a televised interview, Aoun made a rare direct appeal to Israel to pursue a negotiated settlement, arguing that military action alone could not guarantee long-term security.

He said Lebanon’s approach remains aligned with the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, under which Arab states offered normalization of relations with Israel in exchange for the establishment of a Palestinian state and Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories.

Aoun stressed, however, that progress toward broader normalization would require a gradual process and confidence-building measures rather than immediate political breakthroughs.

Lebanon and Israel agreed last week to a new ceasefire arrangement backed by the United States, but tensions have persisted amid reports of continued violence and disagreements over implementation.

The conflict escalated on March 2 when Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel in support of Iran. Israel responded with an extensive air campaign and ground operations that resulted in the occupation of areas in southern Lebanon.

According to figures cited by Lebanese officials, more than 3,600 people have been killed in Israeli military operations in Lebanon, while over one million residents have been displaced by the fighting.

Aoun’s remarks underscore Lebanon’s effort to balance diplomatic engagement with demands for concrete security and territorial guarantees, as international mediators seek to prevent a broader regional escalation.

An explosion was heard in the city before a vehicle was seen engulfed in flames, according to an AFP correspondent at the scene. Emergency responders and firefighters rushed to the area, where rescuers were observed pulling two people from the targeted car.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that the incident involved “an enemy strike on a car” in the center of Sidon. No immediate information was released regarding casualties or the identities of those inside the vehicle.

Sidon, a major commercial and population center on Lebanon’s Mediterranean coast, has been comparatively less affected than other parts of southern and eastern Lebanon that have experienced repeated Israeli strikes since the escalation of hostilities involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement and Israel.

The city hosts the country’s largest Palestinian refugee camp and has also received large numbers of people displaced by ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon.

The strike was the latest reported attack on Sidon after an Israeli strike on a building in the city on May 28 killed five people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

Separately on Wednesday, the Israeli military said its forces operating in southern Lebanon detained two individuals who approached troops in the area.

In a statement, the military said soldiers identified two “suspected individuals” near positions where Israeli forces were operating. The individuals were apprehended and transferred to Israel for questioning after troops moved to eliminate any potential threat.

The military did not provide further details regarding the identities of the detainees or the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The developments underscore continuing security tensions along the Israel-Lebanon frontier, where military activity and cross-border hostilities have persisted despite international calls for de-escalation.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the mission will document potential breaches of international human rights and humanitarian law and compile findings for future reporting. He said the team would assess conduct by all sides to the conflict.

“It’s the first time that we are sending this assessment mission, and the idea is indeed to look at violations by all parties — violations of international law, violations of international human rights law, and to document this, and eventually to report back to you on our findings,” Türk said.

The announcement came as Israeli strikes continued across southern Lebanon, including an attack on Wednesday that hit the centre of the city of Sidon, according to an AFP correspondent and Lebanese state media.

The conflict in Lebanon escalated after March 2, when Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group, launched rockets toward Israel in solidarity with Iran during heightened regional tensions. Israel responded with a sustained air and ground campaign across southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities and UN accounts cited in the report.

The UN says more than 3,600 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, while over one million people have been displaced since the escalation. Despite a US-announced ceasefire on April 16, Lebanon says hostilities have continued, including nearly 3,500 Israeli strikes since the truce.

The United Nations also warned of worsening humanitarian conditions, estimating that about 1.24 million people in Lebanon could face crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity through August.

Separately on Wednesday, a strike was reported in Sidon, where witnesses said an explosion was followed by a burning vehicle and emergency crews rushing to the scene. The incident underscored the continued volatility in southern Lebanon as international efforts to stabilize the situation remain limited.

The UN assessment mission is expected to focus on documenting incidents across multiple fronts in order to establish an evidentiary record of alleged violations by all parties to the conflict.

In an interview with CNN, Aoun said Lebanon was being used as a bargaining chip in Iran’s negotiations with the United States and described such involvement as unacceptable.

Aoun also called on Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group and political movement, to accept diplomacy as the only viable path to resolving its conflict with Israel.

“Hezbollah must understand that there is no other way but to sit and talk,” Aoun said, adding that negotiation was the only means of preserving what remains of the country after years of instability and conflict.

The president’s remarks reflect growing pressure on Hezbollah following months of fighting and come as Aoun continues to advocate for the group’s peaceful disarmament, a position he has maintained since taking office last year.

The comments also underscore widening political divisions in Lebanon, where debates over Hezbollah’s military role and Iran’s influence remain central issues.

On Thursday, Hezbollah rejected a U.S.-mediated ceasefire proposal that had been discussed by Lebanese and Israeli officials. The plan reportedly called for a halt in hostilities and the withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters from southern Lebanon.

Iran has linked a ceasefire in Lebanon to broader negotiations with Washington over the regional conflict that began after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

In a statement posted on a domestic social media platform, Qaani said support for Hezbollah and the Lebanese resistance remained a responsibility for Muslims and described Israel’s withdrawal as an achievable objective.

“The minimum demand of the resistance is the withdrawal of the Israeli regime to the positions it held before the start of the 40-day war,” Qaani said.

His remarks come amid continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and growing diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire. Iran has repeatedly linked any broader regional settlement to an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

Tehran is a key backer of Hezbollah, which has been engaged in cross-border hostilities with Israel since the conflict intensified earlier this year.

In a statement posted on a domestic social media platform, Qaani said support for Hezbollah and the Lebanese resistance remained a responsibility for Muslims and described Israel’s withdrawal as an achievable objective.

“The minimum demand of the resistance is the withdrawal of the Israeli regime to the positions it held before the start of the 40-day war,” Qaani said.

His remarks come amid continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and growing diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire. Iran has repeatedly linked any broader regional settlement to an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

Tehran is a key backer of Hezbollah, which has been engaged in cross-border hostilities with Israel since the conflict intensified earlier this year.

The ministry said the ambulance belonged to the Risala Scouts Association, affiliated with the Amal movement, a Hezbollah ally. Images released by the ministry showed the vehicle heavily damaged at the scene.

Lebanese authorities said at least 130 emergency and health workers have been killed since the Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalated in March.

The escalation follows Israel’s capture of the strategic Beaufort Castle position, raising concerns that military gains on the ground could strengthen its negotiating position.

Lebanese officials said Beirut had rejected Israeli calls for the Lebanese army to immediately disarm Hezbollah, warning such a move could trigger internal instability.

Lebanese military sources said control of Beaufort Castle could give Israeli forces greater surveillance and operational reach across parts of southern Lebanon.

The United Nations Security Council is expected to discuss the situation at an emergency meeting requested by France.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported strikes near the Crusader-era fortress, while the Lebanese army said a drone strike wounded two soldiers near Nabatieh. Israeli forces have advanced in several areas south of the Litani River despite an April ceasefire.

Hezbollah said it fired rockets toward Kiryat Shmona and Safed in northern Israel in response to Israeli attacks. Lebanese officials said they would step up diplomatic efforts to halt Israeli military operations and evacuations in southern Lebanon.

The latest escalation comes a day after Lebanese and Israeli military officials held direct talks in Washington.

The renewed offensive comes as diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Iran continue in parallel to end a wider regional conflict that has drawn in multiple fronts across the Middle East, including the Israel-Hezbollah confrontation along the Lebanese border.

In a video statement, Netanyahu said he had directed the Israeli military to accelerate operations against the Iran-backed militant group, citing continued drone attacks on Israeli positions.

“I have ordered an even greater acceleration of our operations,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel would intensify its military campaign and increase firepower against Hezbollah.

The Israeli military subsequently launched a series of strikes across the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon and targeted multiple locations in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.

Lebanese media reported that at least three people were killed in separate strikes involving two vehicles and a motorcycle. Additional airstrikes were reported near the coastal city of Tyre and in other areas of southern Lebanon.

The escalation followed evacuation warnings issued by the Israeli military for residents in 10 villages in southern Lebanon. Israeli authorities accused Hezbollah of violating the April 17 ceasefire agreement through continued attacks on Israeli forces and territory.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said operations were being conducted in response to Hezbollah activities that breached the truce.
Hezbollah said it had carried out several drone attacks against Israeli military positions on Monday and later announced strikes targeting three military barracks and an additional post in northern Israel. The group described its actions as retaliation for Israeli violations of the ceasefire.

Despite the agreement reached in April, hostilities have persisted almost daily, underscoring the fragility of efforts to stabilize the Israel-Lebanon frontier.
The violence prompted visible displacement in parts of Lebanon. Residents were seen leaving neighborhoods in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of Hezbollah, following warnings of possible expanded military action.

According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli operations since the outbreak of fighting in early March have killed more than 3,100 people. Israel said one soldier was killed in southern Lebanon on Sunday, bringing the number of Israeli military fatalities in the conflict to 23. One civilian contractor has also been reported killed.

Pressure for a broader military campaign has intensified within Israel’s governing coalition. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for harsher retaliatory measures against Hezbollah drone attacks, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir advocated a return to intensive warfare and greater territorial control in southern Lebanon.

Israeli forces currently maintain positions inside a security zone extending several kilometers into Lebanese territory. The military has identified the Litani River as a strategic boundary beyond which Hezbollah fighters should not operate.

Amid the escalation, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed his demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, describing the issue as non-negotiable. He also defended ongoing indirect contacts between Lebanese and Israeli officials.

The two countries, which do not maintain diplomatic relations, are scheduled to participate in talks in Washington on June 2 and 3, preceded by military-level discussions at the Pentagon later this week.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem reiterated opposition to direct negotiations with Israel and rejected calls for the group to disarm, signaling that key obstacles to a durable settlement remain unresolved.

The latest escalation highlights the challenge facing regional mediators seeking to contain multiple interconnected conflicts across the Middle East as negotiations over Iran, maritime security and broader ceasefire arrangements continue.