US names new head of Lebanon ceasefire monitoring mechanism

US military general Michael J. Leeney will replace Jasper Jeffers as the head of the Special Operations Command Central, in charge of overseeing the Washington-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

The move was confirmed by the US embassy in Lebanon on Wednesday, as Leeney accompanied Jeffers to a US delegation meeting with Lebanese and UNIFIL officials in Beirut.

In a statement, Maj. Gen. Leeney said: "I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this important mission and am very optimistic for the future. The LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces) is well known as a capable force and my meetings have shown just how dedicated they are to ensuring peace and stability." 

The embassy added that Maj. Gen. Leeney will "work closely with LAF, UNIFIL, France and the Military Technical Committee for Lebanon to enable the LAF to provide security and fully safeguard Lebanese sovereignty" as part of his duties.

Despite his replacement, Maj. Gen. Jeffers will remain in Lebanon as the commander of US Special Operations forces in the Levant, Arabian Gulf, and Central Asia, the embassy added in their statement.

Who is Michael J. Leeney?

Born in 1966 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Leeney’s military career started in 1988 as a 2nd Lieutenant of Field Artillery in Virginia, after graduating from the Virginia Military Institute.

Leeny has been stationed across the US, as well as South Korea and Afghanistan, where he was deployed in both Kunar and Kandahar. His latest assignment in the Central Asian country was as Deputy Commanding General-Operations for the 40th Infantry Division.

Between July 2023 and March 2024, he was deployed as the Commanding General of Task Force Spartan at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, before becoming the Deputy Commanding General for US Army Central and 3rd Army in October 2024 - understood to be his last post.

Meetings with Aoun, Berri, and Salam

On Wednesday, both Major Generals met with several Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun, at the Baabda Presidential Palace, as part of a US military delegation.

During the meeting, which was also attended by the US ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson, Aoun said "the Lebanese Army is completely carrying out its duties in the south, continuing to confiscate weapons and ammunition" as per the ceasefire agreement declared in November last year, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed's Nagham Rabee.

Aoun emphasised Lebanon's commitment to Resolution 1701 as well as "the need to activate the work of the monitoring committee" and said he will "continue to pressure Israel to halt its attacks, withdraw from the five hills it occupies, and return Lebanese prisoners".

Maj. Gen. Leeney's appointment comes amid Israel's ongoing violations of the ceasefire with frequent drone strikes, described as "indiscriminate" by Human Rights Watch, as well as incursions on southern Lebanese villages.

Both Leeney and Jeffers also met with Lebanon’s speaker of parliament, Nabih Berri, who stressed that Washington must "oblige Israel to immediately implement the agreement aimed at implementing Resolution 1701", amid growing concerns over its attacks on the country.

According to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA), Maj. Gen. Leeny confirmed that "the committee will begin regular meetings to follow up on the situation". A source later told The New Arab’s Arabic-language site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, that Berri’s meeting with the US generals was "positive".

The two also met with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who echoed Aoun and Berri's sentiments.

Calls for full Israeli withdrawal 

Lebanese authorities have made repeated calls urging Israeli troops' total withdrawal from the country's south, as well as a halt to the violations, which have killed at least 71 since the ceasefire came to an end on 18 February, according to UN figures.

Israel continues to be stationed in what it claims as five "strategic positions" located in the Bint Jbeil, Tyre and Marjayoun districts.

Israel and Lebanon reached a French and US-brokered ceasefire agreement on 27 November, bringing an end to the escalated conflict with Hezbollah, occurring in parallel with the war on Gaza. 

The agreement entailed the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the area. Its conditions also stress Hezbollah's need to disarm and move north of the Litani River.

Hezbollah said it will only discuss dropping its weapons when Israeli soldiers fully pull out.

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah broke out one day after 7 October 2023, and largely entailed cross-border fire. However, in September 2024, Israel stepped up its attacks, bombing the south, several Beirut suburbs, and other regions such as the Bekaa Valley.

More than 4,000 Lebanese were killed during that period, including children.