BEIRUT, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Friday vowed to strengthen the Lebanese army and restore state authority across the country's south during a visit to the southern city of Tyre, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA).
"We want the south, like all of Lebanon, to be under the authority of one state," Salam told army officers at the Benoit Barakat Barracks in Tyre.
He said the government is working to mobilize Arab and international support to boost the army's personnel and equipment, stressing that restoring sovereignty requires "a capable state" and "one strong army."
He also called on troops to preserve unity and avoid political or sectarian divisions, noting that the army's strength lies not only in its weapons and personnel but also in its unity.
The visit came amid multiple security incidents in southern Lebanon.
An Israeli airstrike targeted a house on the outskirts of Baraachit in Bint Jbeil district, while explosions were heard over Tyre during Salam's speech, reportedly originating from the Mansouri area, the NNA said, without confirming its source. ■