President Joseph Aoun praised the army on Monday for defending all Lebanese, including those standing against it. "You defend all our people, even the very few who stand against our homeland and our state," he told army personnel.

"Your weapons are the only legitimate weapons — not by force, nor under anyone's guardianship, but by the trust of all the Lebanese in you and you alone," Aoun added, emphasizing that the people's trust "is the most important and powerful weapon."