Lebanon President Meets US General to Discuss Hezbollah-Israel Ceasefire Progress

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun held discussions on Monday with General Michael Kurilla, head of the US Central Command, focusing on the implementation of a fragile truce between Hezbollah and Israel in southern Lebanon. The meeting comes ahead of the January 26 deadline to fully enforce the terms of the ceasefire.

According to a statement from the Lebanese presidency, talks revolved around the situation in southern Lebanon and the stages of Israel’s withdrawal from the area. Under the ceasefire agreement reached on November 27, the Lebanese army must deploy alongside UN peacekeeping forces in the south within 60 days, coinciding with the Israeli military’s phased withdrawal.

The accord also requires Hezbollah to relocate its forces north of the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and to dismantle its military infrastructure in the southern region.

A monitoring committee composed of representatives from Lebanon, Israel, France, the United States, and the UN peacekeeping force oversees the agreement’s implementation.

President Aoun, a former army chief elected last Thursday after a prolonged leadership vacuum, also discussed strengthening cooperation between the Lebanese and US armies with General Kurilla. The United States has been a key supporter of Lebanon’s military, particularly following the country’s economic collapse in 2019.

Meanwhile, tensions remain high in the region. Israel conducted airstrikes in eastern and southern Lebanon on Sunday, targeting what it described as Hezbollah smuggling routes along the border with Syria. Earlier strikes on Friday reportedly killed five individuals, with Israeli officials claiming they were targeting a Hezbollah weapons truck.