The commander-in-chief of the Lebanese army during his tour in North Lebanon, on July 28, 2026. (Credit: Photo shared with our correspondent Michel Hallak.)
BEIRUT — Lebanese Army Commander-in-Chief Gen. Rodolph Haykal visited several military sites in North Lebanon on Tuesday, days before Army Day, which is celebrated on Aug. 1. During the visit, he offered condolences to the families of three soldiers killed in recent months: Sgt. Elie Jbeili in Miniara (Akkar), Pvt. Omar Khodr in Kouachra (Akkar), and Sgt. Bilal Khaled in Tripoli’s Zahrieh neighborhood.
Haykal praised the soldiers’ courage and dedication, saying they had carried out their duties "up to the ultimate sacrifice for the homeland."
Jbeili was killed on July 22, 2026, after a military vehicle overturned during a surveillance mission in the Qornet al-Sawda area. Khodr was killed on June 3 in an Israeli strike in south Lebanon. Khaled died after his unit came under fire during a security operation in Tripoli’s Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood.
During his tour, Haykal visited the headquarters of the 1st Land Border Regiment in Shadra, Akkar, where "he was briefed on measures taken to monitor the border area," according to our correspondent in the region. He also visited the 2nd Infantry Regiment at Hanna Ghostine Barracks in Arman and the 10th Infantry Regiment in Kfar Shakhna (Zgharta), where he reviewed the missions carried out by both units.
Ahead of Army Day, Haykal congratulated troops and stressed the importance of border protection as a key element of national security and internal stability during what he described as an exceptional period.
“You protect Lebanon by fully carrying out your national duty. Each of you contributes with dedication and loyalty to maintaining security throughout the country, despite great hardship. Our sacrifices allow the country to remain strong and united, creating the conditions necessary for the functioning of its institutions and its recovery,” he said.
Later in the day, Haykal met with United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jean Arnault at his office in Yarze.
The discussions focused on the situation in Lebanon and the region, as well as the post-UNIFIL period, following the planned withdrawal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon next year. Arnault praised “the efforts of the military institution” and expressed his “appreciation for the army’s role in preserving Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability.”
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