Lebanon's newly elected president, Joseph Aoun, said Thursday that "a new phase" has started for the war-ravaged country and pledged to rebuild the state, adopt a policy of "positive neutrality" and fight corruption.

Lebanon’s parliament convened Thursday to make yet another effort to elect a president, filling a vacuum that's lasted for more than two years. A first round of voting showed Lebanese army commander Joseph Aoun as the frontrunner,

As the country endured economic crisis and a devastating war, lawmakers failed 12 times to pick a head of state. They have now settled on Joseph Aoun, the leader of the military.

General Joseph Aoun secured 99 votes from the 128-seat parliament, after winning an endorsement from the Hezbollah-backed candidate. The career soldier is the fifth army commander to be elected president in Lebanon’s history.

General Joseph Aoun was widely seen as the preferred candidate of the United States, which funds, trains, and arms the Lebanese military and helped broker a cease-fire between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah in November.

Lebanon's parliament has elected the country's army chief as president, ending a power vacuum that has lasted more than two years. Joseph Aoun's candidacy was backed by several political parties, as well as the US, France and Saudi Arabia.

A devastating economic crisis, a political power vacuum, massive corruption and most recently the war between Hezbollah and Israel: For a long time, things were not looking good for Lebanon. But, after two years without a president,

The Biden administration in its final days is shifting more than $100 million in military aid from Israel and Egypt to Lebanon as it tries to bolster a ceasefire agreement it helped mediate between Israel and Hezbollah.

Joseph Aoun, the Lebanese Army Chief, has been elected as the new president of Lebanon. His election marks a significant political development for the country amid ongoing challenges. Aoun’s leadership is seen as crucial for stabilizing Lebanon's political and economic situation.

At least seven people have died in the firestorms, and the Los Angeles County sheriff said he expected the death toll to rise. One of the blazes — the Palisades fire, in one of the city’s most affluent areas — has damaged or destroyed thousands of buildings and has burned more than 17,200 acres.

Lebanon’s political stalemate has ended with the election of Army Chief Joseph Aoun as president, after 13 failed attempts and over a year without a leader. Aoun’s election comes during a delicate ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel,