President Aoun says Israel-Lebanon talks progressing, calls for full withdrawal

On 12 August 2026, President Aoun said Israel-Lebanon talks are progressing and called for a full Israeli withdrawal. Lebanon condemned Israel's 'systematic destruction' in the south as a violation of international law. The US rejected the idea of a permanent Israeli military presence in Lebanon after Katz boasted that Israel is 'here to stay' in southern Lebanon. Trump said the ceasefire in Lebanon is working, while a Washington Post report quoted a resident calling it a 'prison'.