Lebanon's army chief Gen Rodolphe Haykal held an emergency meeting with US General Joseph Clearfield, head of the US-led ceasefire monitoring mechanism, as Israeli strikes intensified across southern Lebanon.
The Saturday meeting in Beirut, described as "exceptional" by state media, focused on the security situation, regional developments, and ways to strengthen the mechanism overseeing the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Both sides stressed the importance of supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces at a critical moment, according to Lebanese state media. The army has faced criticism from US officials for what they see as insufficient action to disarm Hezbollah, while the US-led mechanism has come under fire for failing to halt Israeli breaches of the already fragile ceasefire.
On Sunday, the Israeli military ordered residents of at least 11 villages in southern Lebanon, instructing civilians to move to open areas. Lebanese state media reported the new forced displacement orders and a wave of attacks across the south earlier in the day, with at least three people killed.
The escalation comes despite the ceasefire and a parallel diplomatic push led by Washington. On Friday, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa met President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, reiterating US support for Lebanon and its state institutions.
Both Mr Aoun and Mr Salam stressed the need to consolidate the ceasefire, calling for a halt to attacks on civilians and infrastructure ahead of further meetings in Washington aimed at advancing the talks towards ending the state of war between the two countries.
According to Lebanese political sources, Israel is intensifying ceasefire breaches to increase leverage in these talks, particularly over security arrangements in the south and the future of Hezbollah's weapons. Lebanese officials have signalled reluctance to move towards a direct political meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before a more durable ceasefire extended is secured.
The Lebanese military is seen as one of the country's few functioning state institutions. However, it has historically avoided direct confrontation with Hezbollah, raising questions about whether it has the capacity or political mandate to forcibly disarm the group without risking internal conflict. Last year, the government instructed the army to disarm Hezbollah, starting in areas south of the Litani River before expanding to the rest of the country.
Hezbollah is a powerful military and political group in Lebanon. It has sustained its military capabilities despite a year of war with Israel that ended in November 2024. It has also refused to hand over its weapons. Observers have cautioned against cutting support for the Lebanese army, arguing it could undermine efforts to counter the group. The US has been tightening conditions on its military aid to Beirut over the disarmament impasse.
The ceasefire was announced following six weeks of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which began after the group fired rockets at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Israel launched relentless bombardment across Lebanon, killing 2,000 people, including more than 170 children, according to Lebanese authorities.
The latest war is one of several conflicts that Hezbollah has fought against Israel, resulting in massive destruction in Lebanon. Experts argue the group would not voluntarily relinquish its arsenal unless directed by its patron, Iran. Analysts say the US role must extend well beyond brokering a pause in hostilities.
Mr Trump said that Iran will have to stop funding Hezbollah to secure a permanent ceasefire deal with the US. "Yeah, they'll have to cut that," Mr Trump told reporters on Thursday when asked about aiding the militant group. "That's a must."
