Aoun: The challenges in the region are very great, and I hope it does not head toward explosion

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun chaired a cabinet session at Baabda Palace, stating that the challenges facing the region are "very great," and hoping that its course would not be toward escalation or explosion. He called on parties in Lebanon to exercise wisdom to avoid any turmoil the region might witness, amid reports of American and Israeli preparations to resume war on Iran.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun chaired a cabinet session on Thursday at the presidential palace in Baabda, attended by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency. Aoun said that "the challenges facing the region are very great, and I hope its course is not toward escalation or explosion." He called on parties in Lebanon to "exercise wisdom, awareness, and foresight, to shield Lebanon from the impact of these challenges, as it already suffers from difficult economic repercussions." He added, "This requires everyone, ministers and political officials, to act wisely to spare Lebanon any turmoil the region might witness." This comes amid Western reports about American and Israeli preparations to resume war on Iran, with uncertainty about its timing, in light of the Knesset elections scheduled for October 27, 2026, and the US midterm congressional elections on November 3, 2026. In another context, Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon's solidarity with Saudi Arabia "in the face of the attacks it is subjected to, and everything that threatens its sovereignty, security, and the security of its citizens," referring to the Houthi attacks in Yemen on the kingdom over recent months. The Lebanese president also thanked Qatar for its efforts to help Lebanon in the energy sector.