Lebanon's Aoun met with U.N. official over 'Israeli assault': presidency

Lebanese President Michel Aoun, gestures upon his arrival at Tunis-Carthage International Airport to attend the Arab Summit, in Tunis, Tunisia on March 30, 2019. (REUTERS File Photo)

BEIRUT, AUGUST 26 (Reuters): Lebanese President Michel Aoun discussed on Monday the "Israeli assault on the southern suburbs of Beirut" with the country's United Nations Special Coordinator, Aoun's office said.

Two Israeli drones crashed early on Sunday in the southern suburbs, which are dominated by Hezbollah, prompting the leader of the Iran-backed movement to warn the Israeli army that his group was preparing an immiment response.

Aoun met U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis on Monday to discuss "the latest developments", the president's office said on Twitter.

Separately, Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri met Lebanon's interior and defence ministers and with the army chief on Monday to discuss security issues, his office said, though it gave no further details.

Hariri, who has said the drones aimed to stir up regional tensions, is also due to meet the ambassadors of the U.N. Security Council's five permanent members, his office said.

Israeli drone strikes hit a military position belonging to a Palestinian faction in Lebanon's Bekaa valley early on Monday, the group said.

Although Israel has not claimed the Beirut attack, Nasrallah said it was the first Israeli attack inside Lebanon since the two sides fought a deadly month-long war in 2006.