Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun met with the head of US forces in the Middle East on Monday, emphasizing Beirut’s commitment to asserting sovereignty across its entire territory, with the Lebanese army deployed along the Israeli border.
Aoun met with Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, to discuss the Washington-brokered agreement between Israel and Lebanon aimed at establishing peace. The discussions followed the recent signing of the deal.
Cooper also held meetings with Lebanese Army Chief Rodolphe Haykal, addressing the latest developments in Lebanon and the wider region, according to the army’s statement.
Under the framework agreement mediated by Washington, Hezbollah isExpected to be disarmed, with the Lebanese army taking responsibility for the process. Israeli officials have indicated their troops will remain in the south until the disarmament is complete.
The Iran-backed group has strongly opposed the agreement, with leading figures warning of potential internal conflict if the deal is implemented. Hezbollah’s involvement in regional tensions began in March when their rocket attacks on Israel triggered significant Israeli military responses.
Haykal and Cooper discussed the implementation of the agreement’s security provisions and strategies for enhanced bilateral cooperation, according to official statements.
A Central Command statement on social media platform X noted that Cooper, Aoun, and Haykal discussed the path forward for implementing the Washington agreement, with Cooper also visiting Israel during his regional tour.
The agreement requires Lebanon to restore sovereignty through verified disarmament of non-state armed groups and dismantling of associated infrastructure, facilitating progressive Israeli withdrawal, as outlined in State Department documentation.
The US Department of State indicated that implementation details would be specified in a Security Annex developed with American support, though the annex was not immediately published.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington would provide $30 million in reimbursement to Lebanon’s military to improve its capabilities and capacity.
The United States has historically been a key supporter of the Lebanese army.
Hezbollah’s leader Naim Qassem has dismissed the agreement as “null and void,” instead advocating for implementation of a US-Iran memorandum to de-escalate regional tensions.
The Israel-Lebanon negotiations in Washington aimed to disentangle Lebanon’s position from broader Iran-related discussions.
The recent agreement followed a temporary lull in hostilities that coincided with the US-Iran memorandum, which Tehran insisted should include Lebanon.
Hezbollah stated it retains the right to self-defense following Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement.
Israeli forces continue operations in a self-declared security zone approximately 10 kilometers deep within Lebanese territory along the border.
Lebanese authorities report that Israeli attacks since March 2 have resulted in over 4,200 fatalities.
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