BEIRUT, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Wednesday that efforts are underway to consolidate the ceasefire in southern Lebanon, according to a presidency statement.

Rescuers are seen at the site of damaged buildings after an Israeli airstrike at the town of Qennarit in the Sidon district of southern Lebanon, June 20, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

He said the process would be followed by "the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied areas, the deployment of the Lebanese army, the return of residents, the release of detainees and the start of reconstruction."

Aoun made the remarks during a meeting with a visiting British parliamentary delegation at the presidential palace in Baabda.

The president said ongoing Lebanese-U.S.-Israeli talks in Washington are addressing a range of issues, including security measures needed to restore stability in southern Lebanon and extend state authority to the country's internationally recognized southern border.

Aoun also called for continued British support for Lebanon, particularly assistance to the Lebanese army through aid, training programs and the construction of observation towers.

The president further expressed hope for international support to maintain a foreign presence in southern Lebanon following the planned withdrawal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon at the beginning of 2027, noting that several European countries are interested in keeping troops in the area under a new legal framework.

On Lebanese-Syrian relations, Aoun said coordination between the two neighboring countries is ongoing.