BEIRUT / ANKARA

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned Tuesday that Israeli violations of a ceasefire agreement threaten stability in southern Lebanon.

Aoun met on Tuesday with Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias in Beirut, during which he briefed him on the situation in southern Lebanon and army deployment in the region, a presidency statement said.

Aoun said that Israeli attacks, failure to withdraw from five border outposts, and refusal to release Lebanese detainees “constitute clear violations of UN Security Council resolution 1701 and the terms of last November's ceasefire agreement and pose a threat to stability in the south.”

Resolution 1701, passed in 2006, calls for a complete halt to hostilities between the Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel and the establishment of a weapons-free zone between the Blue Line, a de facto border, and the Litani River in southern Lebanon, with exceptions for the Lebanese army and the UN peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL).

Aoun hailed cooperation between the Lebanese and Greek armies and appreciated Athens’ contribution to UNIFIL's navy force.

A fragile ceasefire had been in place in Lebanon since November, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict last September.

Lebanese authorities reported nearly 1,400 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including at least 120 fatalities and more than 366 injuries.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after it refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.