After last visit scrapped, Lebanon's army chief expected in US amid Hezbollah disarmament push

Lebanon’s army chief is scheduled to visit Washington in early February, months after a visit was cancelled over tensions with the US regarding the slow progress in disarming Hezbollah.

General Rodolphe Haykal will be in the US capital from 3 -5 February, carrying with him a comprehensive dossier on the army's ongoing efforts in disarming Iran-backed Hezbollah in south Lebanon, according to media reports on Monday.

His dossier will include details on the Hezbollah sites confiscated and dismantled by the Lebanese army as part of a November 2024 ceasefire deal with Israel, as well as what the army needs to carry out its mission, said the reports.

Haykal’s meetings with US officials will focus more on what the army has achieved so far in its disarmament efforts rather than on other political aspects, the reports added.

The army recently announced it had completed the first phase of a plan to disarm Hezbollah with thousands of soldiers deployed south of the Litani River, close to the Israeli border.

The next stage will see the army move north of the river in south Lebanon, including Palestinian camps, as well as areas where Hezbollah is thought to have a presence.

"Discussions will include a detailed presentation with figures, documents, and maps of the work carried out during the first phase south of the Litani," security sources told The New Arab's sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

"The presentation will also outline the next phases, starting with northern Litani, as well as operations conducted by the army to seize weapons, dismantle military facilities and tunnels, and other efforts ... including in Palestinian camps, along the Syrian border, and in combating drugs, smuggling, and related issues," the sources added.

In November, Haykal scrapped his visit to Washington after he was snubbed by US officials he was supposed to meet. The spat came after the military slammed Israel for its continued violations of Lebanese sovereignty despite the ceasefire, drawing the ire of several American lawmakers.

Israel, the US' main Middle East ally, has made unverified claims that the Lebanese army’s efforts in the south were "insufficient", and has accused Hezbollah of rearming.

These claims have been denied by Lebanon, which has called on mediators the US and France to pressure Israel to halt its ceasefire violations. Israel has carried out frequent strikes which it says are hitting Hezbollah, and continues to occupy five border hilltops on Lebanese soil deemed strategic.

Haykal’s visit comes amid repeated threats by Tel Aviv that it is ready to wage another offensive in Lebanon if Hezbollah does not surrender its weapons. Beirut is trying to ward off a second war.

"The army will present the obstacles that have affected - and continue to affect - the implementation of the plan, particularly those related to ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory and the occupation of parts of southern Lebanon, as well as challenges linked to the military institution itself and its limited capabilities," the sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Hezbollah, the Shia militant group heavily weakened by Israel in 2024, has strongly rejected the Lebanese government’s plans to disarm it elsewhere, while Beirut has pledged to end military dualism in the country, vowing to bring all arms under state control.

Paris will host an international conference in early March to support Lebanon’s security forces.

Participating countries have not yet been finalised, but Beirut is betting heavily on the summit to garner financial assistance for its army and police force, heavily impacted by a crushing financial crisis since late 2019 with Washington being the military's biggest donor.

The US and France are both part of a five-member ceasefire monitoring committee, which also includes Lebanon, Israel, and the UN.

"Hopes are pinned on the success of the Paris conference, as the army urgently needs backing at this stage to carry out its major missions, including equipment, personnel, logistics, technical support, and more, as well as for the period following the end of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon mandate at the end of 2026," the sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.