Interior minister says state monitoring displacement and security situation amid Israeli attacks

Lebanon’s Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar chaired a meeting of the Central Internal Security Council to review the security situation in the country amid Israeli attacks and to follow up on and reinforce security measures.

Al-Hajjar said displacement has been heavily concentrated in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, as well as in southern areas including Sidon, Tyre, and Jezzine.

He addressed questions raised by many citizens about the role of the state and security agencies, and why the situation appears as if it has been left unmanaged. He stressed that the state, the government and all relevant authorities are following the displacement situation in order to provide necessary services and help ease the crisis as much as possible.

He added that security agencies in all their branches are also involved, including the Lebanese Armed Forces, Internal Security Forces, General Security Directorate, State Security, in addition to the Lebanese Civil Defense, which continues to carry out rescue and emergency operations.

Regarding incidents inside or around some shelters, Al-Hajjar said their number remains within reasonable limits, although he stressed that no incidents should occur. He called on Lebanese citizens, regardless of their affiliations, to act with awareness and responsibility, saying that security is everyone’s responsibility.

He also addressed concerns about the emergence of security “cantons” in some areas, saying that coordination is ongoing between municipalities and security agencies to maintain security within legal frameworks and prevent any attempts to create security cantons or move toward self-security.