Lebanese soldiers and French UNIFIL troops on July 8, 2025, at a Lebanese Army base in the Sour region of southern Lebanon, before the start of a joint patrol. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L’Orient-Le Jour)
The Lebanese Army command and the presidency on Friday denied reports by the pro-Hezbollah daily Al Akhbar claiming that Commander-in-Chief Rodolph Haykal was "shocked" by U.S. pressure to disarm Hezbollah. The military institution is scheduled to present a plan to the government next Tuesday to enable the state to regain a monopoly over weapons in the country by the end of the year, despite the categorical refusal of Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem to surrender the group's arsenal, and his threat to resort to "confrontation" if forced disarmament is attempted.
On Thursday, from Tel Aviv, Senator Lindsey Graham, who was part of the American delegation in Beirut earlier this week, emphasized that "if we have to use military force to disarm Hezbollah, it is in America's interest to ensure that [this task falls] to the Lebanese Army." Al Akhbar reported that Rodolph Haykal allegedly said he would "prefer to resign if the army is called upon to spill the blood of Lebanese." The army, according to this media outlet, also "refused to develop an execution plan for disarmament with a list of objectives or a timetable."
The army denied these reports, stressing that it "carries out its missions with responsibility, professionalism and concern for the country's security and internal stability," and called on the media not to "speculate" about its decisions. The presidency's press office also denied reports, noting that the name of the head of state, Joseph Aoun, is mentioned in Al Akhbar's article, which claims that he was made aware of a proposal to ask the government not to commit to implementing the "Barrack plan" — named after the American envoy — until Syria and Israel have officially approved it.
Some media outlets "broadcast information attributed to sources in Baabda, or close to Baabda, but the president's positions are expressed only by himself or through statements or information from his press office," the presidency stressed.
