Lebanon's president urges Trump to 'keep supporting' Lebanese Armed Forces

President Joseph Aoun urged US President Donald Trump on Tuesday to keep backing the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), calling it the backbone of the country's security and stability.

Speaking alongside Trump in the Oval Office, Aoun said he had asked the US president for "two things: political support and supporting of the LAF, which is the most trusted institution in the country, and it has the most powerful weapon, which is the trust of the public."

"Like any other armed forces in the world, the Lebanese Armed Forces is the backbone of security and stability. We need to support the LAF," he said.

Aoun warned that Lebanon risks collapse without a strong military. "The LAF maintains the country safe and stable; without LAF, everything will collapse. We don't want that. I think President Trump doesn't want that," he said.

"All we're asking is keep supporting the LAF, and they know that the LAF is doing a great job, performing its duty to the fullest. I fully trust the LAF, I fully trust the leadership of the LAF," he said.

Aoun praised Trump, saying a newly signed framework to end the state of hostility between Lebanon and Israel "forever," referring to a framework agreement signed last month in Washington.

"It's about time for Lebanon and for the whole region to be stable and secure," said Aoun, adding that Trump's "vision is peace" and "vision is stability."

"I think my vision coincides with your vision, and together," he said.

Aoun's remarks came as his army began deploying in parts of southern Lebanon under the US-brokered framework agreement.

The Lebanese military recently entered several southern villages as part of a "pilot zone" project under the deal, with Israeli forces expected to withdraw from a small number of areas and the Lebanese army moving in to provide security.

Israeli forces opened fire Tuesday near Lebanese army forces as they deployed in the southern town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, according to the army.

Asked when the Israeli army will withdraw from southern Lebanon, Trump responded, "They're in the process of doing that. They're in the process of redeploying to other sections."

The US State Department announced Monday the start of pilot zone operations in the Lebanese villages of Froun, Srifa and Zawtar Al-Gharbiya under the framework agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv.

The agreement provides for a phased Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territory, but it does not include a timetable for the withdrawal. Instead, it links its completion to the Lebanese army assuming full security responsibility in areas vacated by Israeli forces and the disarmament of armed groups, including Hezbollah.

According to official Lebanese figures, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed 4,328 people and injured 12,227 since March 2.

Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the previous war between October 2023 and November 2024.