Aoun says Israel must withdraw from Lebanon by next week's deadline

President Joseph Aoun said Wednesday that Israel must withdraw all its forces from Lebanon by next week’s deadline.

In a statement, Aoun denied media reports of another extension to the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel. The U.S.- and French-brokered truce, reached in late November, gave Israel 60 days to withdraw while Hezbollah repositioned north of the Litani River.

The deadline was later extended to Feb 18.

Israeli and Lebanese media, citing anonymous local and Western sources, reported Wednesday that the withdrawal deadline had been pushed to Feb. 28.

Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier at low altitude over Beirut and other areas on Wednesday — the first such incident since the ceasefire.