Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Friday accused Israel of responding to its offer to negotiate by intensifying its air strikes, the latest of which killed two people in south Lebanon.

Despite a November 2024 ceasefire with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Israel maintains troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and has kept up regular air strikes.

Aoun had called for negotiations with Israel in mid-October, after US President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire in Gaza.

"Lebanon is ready for negotiations to end the Israeli occupation, but any negotiation... requires mutual willingness, which is not the case," Aoun said on Friday.

Israel "is responding to this option by carrying out more attacks against Lebanon... and intensifying tensions", he added during a meeting with German F

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