Lebanese army to strengthen presence in south: PM

Beirut, Nov 22 Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has said that the Lebanese army is "preparing to strengthen its military presence in the south," according to a statement by the Lebanese Council of Ministers.

Mikati made the remarks on Thursday as the country is marking its 81st Independence Day, which falls on November 22 annually, saying, "The army is offering sacrifices with the lives of its officers and personnel in defense of the homeland, its sovereignty and independence."

Meanwhile, Army Commander General Joseph Aoun assured that the Lebanese army would continue to work with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon under Resolution 1701, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Our forces stand alongside their people, fulfilling their national duty, and carry out their missions despite the challenges and dangers they face," he said.

Lebanon's 81st Independence Day comes at a time amid the continued Hezbollah-Israel war.

On Thursday morning, Israeli forces launched three airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, a few minutes after the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings to specific areas, including the buildings in Haret Hreik and Hadath, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

According to the NNA, the airstrikes have targeted Sfeir, Bir al-Abed, and Kafa'at, with TV footage showing columns of smoke rising from targeted areas. It did not mention the casualties or the extent of damage.

Until Wednesday, the death toll from Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon since the beginning of the war on October 8, 2023, reached 3,558, while injuries went up to 15,123, said the Lebanese Health Ministry

Around 1.3 million people have been displaced from their homes in the south, east, and Beirut's southern suburbs due to the clashes, according to the Disaster Management Unit at the Lebanese Council of Ministers.

Since September 23, the Israeli army has intensified its air attack on Lebanon in an escalation of conflict with Hezbollah. Israel further initiated a ground operation across its northern border into Lebanon in early October.