Aoun's Nabatieh visit: A message of state presence in South Lebanon

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi  

In Nabatieh, the significance of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's visit lay more in the image it created than in its duration.

For the first time, Aoun entered the city, walking among residents on a brief, largely unannounced tour that caught many by surprise.

However, the timing was anything but incidental.

Nabatieh still lacks effective guarantees to shield it from the risks of renewed hostilities. The message Aoun sought to reinforce was therefore clear: the state is the guarantor.

That was why he did not visit alone. He was accompanied by the heads of Lebanon’s security agencies, creating a striking and perhaps unprecedented scene in the city in years.

The sensitivity of the current stage was also reflected in Aoun’s remarks about the current difficulties facing negotiations.

Guarantees cannot remain limited to words; they must be translated into action.

In Nabatieh, Aoun listened to the demands of municipal officials and concerns raised by the medical sector, while opening a direct discussion between local representatives and security leaders.

From Nabatieh, the president traveled to Zawtar El Gharbiyeh, where the picture shifted to one of the south’s most sensitive areas.

There, Aoun inspected the army regiment stationed at the town’s church, accompanied by Army Commander General Rodolph Haykal.

Zawtar represents a test. To its east lies land that remains occupied.

That is where the broader message comes together: land that is liberated is expected to return under the authority of the state.

Between Nabatieh and Zawtar, Aoun’s visit was more than a brief tour. It was a message that South Lebanon is not defenseless or disregarded.