Lebanese leaders said Beirut was in contact with Washington and Paris to press Israel to fully withdraw from south Lebanon, branding its presence in five points an "occupation" following the expiry of a ceasefire deadline.
According to a statement from the office of Lebanon's President, Joseph Aoun, "Lebanon is continuing its diplomatic contacts with the United States and France to complete Israel's withdrawal from the remaining territories it occupied in the last war".
Both helped broker an Israel-Hezbollah truce, to press Israel to complete its withdrawal from the country after the deadline passed on Tuesday.
Decision-makers are "unified in adopting the diplomatic option, because nobody wants war," Aoun also added in the statement.
Earlier on Tuesday, Lebanon said any Israeli presence on its soil constituted an "occupation".
Aoun – along with Lebanon's prime minister and parliament speaker – warned that the government would ask the UN Security Council to push Israel to leave, and said that Lebanese armed forces were ready to assume duties on the border.
Beirut underlined it had "the right to adopt all means" to make Israel withdraw.
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In the south of the country, many Lebanese returned to destroyed or heavily damaged homes, farms and businesses after more than a year of fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah that included two months of all-out war, which halted with the 27 November ceasefire.
"The entire village has been reduced to rubble. It's a disaster zone," said Alaa al-Zein, a resident who returned to the town of Kfar Kila.
Israel had announced just before the pullout deadline that it would keep troops in "five strategic points" near the border, with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar saying they would withdraw "once Lebanon implements its side of the deal".
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The Israeli army had said it would remain on the five hilltops, overlooking swathes of both sides of the border, "temporarily" to "make sure there's no immediate threat".
The UN has called Israel's incomplete pull-out a violation of Security Council resolution 1701, though it has allowed many displaced residents to return to border villages.
(with AFP)
