Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stepped up his calls for Hezbollah to disarm on Thursday, suggesting failure to do so would give Israel an excuse to continue attacks and saying the issue would be on the agenda of a cabinet meeting next week.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Thursday that he was determined to disarm Hezbollah, a step it has come under heavy US pressure to take, despite the group's protests that doing so would serve Israeli goals.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reiterated calls for the militant group Hezbollah to give up its weapons, a day after the group’s chief doubled down on its refusal to disarm. Aoun’s comments Thursday during a speech marking Army Day in Lebanon came as pressure increases from Washington to disarm Hezbollah.