Lebanon’s Aoun surveys war damage in Nabatieh, vows support for south

• The purpose of the visit was to assess the extent of destruction inflicted on the city's vital infrastructure by ‘Israeli’ airstrikes. 

Lebanon’s president Joseph Aoun toured the city of Nabatieh on Saturday morning, following a 66-day ‘Israeli’ assault on southern Lebanon. 

He was accompanied by Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal and the heads of Lebanon's security agencies, as the delegation assessed the extent of destruction inflicted on the city's vital infrastructure by ‘Israeli’ airstrikes. 

The delegation visited numerous damaged government and strategic facilities, most notably the Nabatieh Governorate building (Serail) and the Banque du Liban branch, along with the Nabatieh municipal building, the site where former mayor Ahmad Kahil and 12 of his fellow council members and staff were killed. 

The president's itinerary also included the headquarters of the Union of Chouf Municipalities and Nabih Berri Governmental University Hospital.

Military and political leaders used the visit to deliver firm statements. Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal reaffirmed the army's steadfast presence, stating: "The army's deployment in the south is a constant."

For his part, President Aoun praised the resilience of the medical staff at Nabatieh Hospital, who have continued working "despite every hardship and harsh condition." 

He stressed that the state's presence at this stage is meant to demonstrate real solidarity with the local population and to reaffirm that state institutions remain steadfast.

Read more: 'Israeli' airstrikes hit southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh region