Lebanon’s army chief said on Friday that there would be no compromise on the country’s sovereignty in maritime border negotiations with Israel.

President Michel Aoun on Thursday specified Lebanon’s starting point for demarcating its sea border with Israel under US-mediated talks, in the first public confirmation of a stance sources say actually increases the size of the disputed area.

Israel and Lebanon launched the negotiations last month with delegations from the long-time foes convening at a UN base to try to agree on the unresolved border that has held up hydrocarbon exploration in the potentially gas-rich area.

Israel continues to launching threats to attack Lebanon and tamper with the nation’s internal stability, said Armed Forces Commander, General Joseph Aoun, two days ahead of Lebanon’s Independence Day.

“77 years of independence and Lebanon is currently going through an unprecedented critical and difficult phase on the political, economic and social levels,” the general said, with reference to the recent port disaster that claimed the lives of hundreds amid the coronavirus global pandemic.

The army chief said everyone in Lebanon is counting on the military to face “danger and bury sedition,” vowing that any attempt that threatens civil peace would not be tolerated.

Lebanon celebrates Independence Day on November 22. But the country has cancelled all forms of national festivities marking the occasion amid an outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.