Aoun doesn't trust Hezbollah's assurances despite 'timid dialogue'
President Joseph Aoun still has concerns that a third war might erupt between Israel and Hezbollah, despite new assurances from the Iran-backed group that it will not enter into any new confrontation that might break out between Tehran, the United States, and Israel, Asharq al-Awsat newspaper has reported.
"The source of the presidential anxiety is that he had received similar assurances prior to the second round of the war last March, which Hezbollah soon reneged on following the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei," the daily said.
"Based on the Lebanese proverb that warns against 'testing the tested' (repeating a failed experiment), President Aoun is dealing cautiously with these assurances, as well as with the beginning of a timid dialogue that recently kicked off between him and Hezbollah," the newspaper added.
It said that Aoun realizes that a third round of war could be devastating for southern Lebanon and the Shiite community in particular, in light of warnings conveyed to him and to several Lebanese officials.
The latest of these came during a phone call between him and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated clearly that Hezbollah's entry into the confrontation would have devastating consequences.
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