JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Lebanese President Joseph Aoun made a strong statement against Hezbollah for initiating military strikes on Israel. Aoun stressed that Beirut’s decision to ban Hezbollah’s military activity is “a sovereign and final decision,” a day after Prime Minister Nawaf Salam declared the group’s military operations “illegal acts” following its attacks on Israel, which prompted Israeli strikes on Lebanon.

“The decision taken by the Council of Ministers yesterday, preserving the Lebanese state’s sole right to control decisions of war and peace and banning military and security activities outside the law, is a sovereign and final decision from which there is no turning back,” Aoun tells the Quintet Committee, made of representatives from the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt, according to the MTV Lebanese news site.

“The Council of Ministers has entrusted the army and security forces with implementing the decision across all Lebanese regions,” Aoun added

“I am Lebanon!”
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun replaces his civilian attire with military uniform (his former position was the military chief of staff) and declares Hezbollah outside the law and announces clear and explicit military confrontation against it.
Good luck, Lebanon 🇱🇧 pic.twitter.com/jlYTjutyBh

— Itamar Avni / Chief Hasbara Officer (@AvniItamar) March 5, 2026

Aoun also spoke to the media in military fatigues, stating that “I am Lebanon” and declaring that Hezbollah’s armed activity is illegal and that he is willing to confront it militarily in order to make the terrorist group disarm.