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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday ordered the country’s military to confront any future Israeli incursions into southern Lebanon, following an overnight raid by Israeli forces in the border village of Blida that left a local municipal worker dead. According to reports from Lebanese media and officials, IDF troops entered the municipal building in Blida, located opposite Israel’s Kibbutz Yiftah in the Upper Galilee region. Ibrahim Salameh, a worker at the site, was killed. Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese broadcaster Al Mayadeen reported that Salameh was shot while asleep, describing the incident as an “execution.” The Health Ministry in Beirut later confirmed Salameh’s death, alleging he was shot during what it called an “Israeli invasion” of the village. Shortly after news of the incident broke, President Aoun issued a directive to Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, instructing him “to confront any Israeli incursion into the liberated lands of southern Lebanon in order to protect Lebanon’s territory and ensure the safety of its citizens,” according to a statement from the president’s office. The raid reportedly took place around 2:30 a.m., with Israeli forces entering a temporary municipal facility in the village. Reports claimed the troops withdrew after two hours, accompanied by drones, and that Lebanese forces later entered the building. Residents who approached the site were warned by Israel via UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force, to evacuate the premises. Lebanese media criticized UNIFIL’s lack of response, alleging that its personnel refused to enter the village. Tensions escalated further when villagers reportedly blocked a UNIFIL patrol from passing through the area in protest. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who is often criticized for his detachment from developments in the south, issued a rare and swift condemnation of the raid. “The Israeli invasion of Blida and the direct attack on a local employee during the performance of his duties constitute a blatant violation of the institutions and sovereignty of the Lebanese state,” he said. Salam expressed solidarity with residents of southern Lebanon, saying they “pay daily for their commitment to their land and their right to live in security and dignity under the state’s sovereignty.” Salam also accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement and said Lebanon was “increasing pressure on the United Nations and states supporting the truce to halt repeated violations and ensure a full Israeli withdrawal from our territory.” Meanwhile, the Union of Municipalities in southern Lebanon issued a statement condemning the “violation of Lebanese territory by the Israeli enemy and its incursion into Blida.” Local officials called for a solidarity rally to be held Friday in Nabatieh, a city further from the border. The incident comes amid growing debate within Lebanon over whether the situation along the Israeli border is headed toward renewed conflict or possible negotiations. The pro-Hezbollah newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack has postponed a visit to Lebanon, citing a lack of progress and indicating Washington is unlikely to pressure Israel or intervene at this stage. As cross-border violence continued, the IDF announced Thursday that the Air Force had struck Hezbollah targets in the southern Lebanese town of Mahmoudiyeh, including a rocket launcher and tunnel shaft. “The presence of the infrastructure in the area constitutes a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the army said, adding that it would “continue to operate to remove any threat posed to the State of Israel.”
