Prime Minister Nawaf Salam vowed Sunday to make the reconstruction of southern Lebanon a top priority, pledging that villages devastated in the latest conflict with Israel would be rebuilt and fully restored to State control.

“We want this region to return to the authority of the State,” Salam said on the second day of a tour of the South, emphasizing his government’s determination to bring stability and normal life back to border communities that suffered the heaviest damage.

The prime minister received a warm welcome as he visited a series of hard-hit towns, including Kfarkila, Marjeyoun, Kfarshouba and Kfarhamam. His tour began Saturday with stops in the coastal city of Tyre and the town of Bint Jbeil.

In Kfarkila, one of the areas most severely affected by the war, Salam acknowledged the town’s particular hardship, saying it was “bearing more than its share of suffering because of ongoing violations and its close proximity to the border.”

He stressed that residents would not be able to return permanently until basic services were restored, adding that infrastructure reconstruction should begin “within the coming weeks.”

“Our visit is a clear message that the State and all its institutions stand with these devastated border villages,” he said. “The government will continue to press Israel to fully comply with the ceasefire agreement.”

At the same time, Salam made clear that Beirut would not wait for a complete Israeli withdrawal before moving forward with recovery efforts.

“This doesn’t mean we’ll postpone rebuilding infrastructure until every occupied area is evacuated,” he said.

Speaking later in Marjeyoun, Salam said the South had long suffered from the absence of effective State authority.

“For years, the State has not had a real presence in this region,” he said. “Today the army has been deployed, and we want it to stay and carry out its responsibilities.”

He added that restoring State authority involved more than just a military presence.

“The State is not only about the army,” Salam said. “It’s about laws, institutions, social services and public infrastructure.”

The prime minister outlined plans to rebuild roads and restore electricity and water networks in Marjeyoun and surrounding areas, cautioning that the effort would take time.

“Reconstruction will take months, but the State is fully committed to reestablishing its authority,” he said. “We want this region to be brought back into the framework of the State.”

Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel, commenting on the visit, said the strong reception Salam received reflected a deeper desire among southerners for effective national institutions.

“The people of the South want the State and its sovereignty,” Gemayel said. “They want legitimate institutions that enforce the rule of law across all of Lebanon, without exception.”