Lebanese President Joseph Aoun requested additional support for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) from U.S. President Donald Trump on the 21st (local time), warning that a failure to provide such aid could trigger a new civil war in his country.

According to foreign media reports including Reuters, President Aoun, who is visiting the United States, met with President Trump at the White House that day and stated, "It is time for Lebanon to enjoy peace, and we can achieve this together."

He further described the signing of a framework agreement with Israel as a "historic achievement" and expressed his gratitude to President Trump for his leading role in reaching it.

Under the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel brokered by the United States, Israeli forces began withdrawing from a "pilot zone" in southern Lebanon on this day, with the Lebanese military moving in to take charge of security.

This measure is intended to limit the influence of Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian militant group that has been attacking Israel from southern Lebanon amid the war with Iran.

However, Hezbollah has expressed clear opposition to this measure, and Israel, which withdrew its forces from the pilot zone under U.S. pressure, remains skeptical of the Lebanese military's capabilities.

Furthermore, Israel and the United States are strongly demanding the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Hezbollah, however, has rejected these demands, insisting instead on the prior withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Israel maintains that it will only withdraw its troops once the disarmament of Hezbollah, which threatens the country, is prioritized.

Therefore, if Hezbollah, which outnumbers the Lebanese government forces in terms of weapons and troop size, faces intense pressure to disarm, it could resort to force against the government military, potentially escalating into a civil war in Lebanon.

President Aoun also expressed concerns over this situation.

He emphasized, "We do not want such a tragedy to happen again. All we want is continued support for the Lebanese military."

President Aoun added that Lebanon's ultimate goal is to end hostilities with Israel permanently, noting that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a close ally of Hezbollah, also supports efforts to end the conflict.

President Trump responded by pledging to help Lebanon overcome the difficulties it has faced for years.

He also assessed that Lebanon is a country that has been treated very unfairly in the past but deserves to be respected.

"If President Aoun wants me to talk to Hezbollah, I will do that," Trump emphasized. "I will talk to Hezbollah, and I can talk to everyone."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)