President Joseph Aoun and the army commander-in-chief, Rodolph Haykal, at the presidential palace in Baabda, on Sept. 29, 2025. (Credit: Photo published on the Lebanese presidency's X account)
BEIRUT — President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday received the commander-in-chief of the army, General Rodolph Haykal, who briefed him on the outcomes of recent visits to Turkey and the United Kingdom aimed at strengthening the military cooperation and support for theLebanese Armed Forces from both countries.
The two men also "reviewed the security situation in the country as well as the missions awaiting the army in the coming period," in light of the framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel last week in Washington. This agreement, which has drawn strong criticism from the Amal-Hezbollah alliance and its ally Walid Joumblatt, provides in particular for the army to extend its control over southern Lebanon in order to dismantle Hezbollah's infrastructure, in exchange for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas.
Joseph Aoun denounced "the smear campaigns and false accusations targeting the military institution and its leadership," stressing that such actions would "have no effect on the fulfillment of its national mission."
Following initial harsh criticism, and even threats, from the Shiite alliance against the government, the tone has since softened somewhat after repeated calls since Sunday to avoid "any form of discord" among Lebanese and any "attempt at national division."
