Foreign diplomats inspect Lebanese Army's progress in South...

4^min

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

The Lebanese Army has sought to counter long-standing criticism of its silence by opening its operations in the south to foreign diplomats, a move that left officials with what they described as a markedly positive impression following a detailed tour of the area south of the Litani River.

The visit, organized at the army's sector command headquarters, lasted more than 90 minutes and included a documented presentation using figures and photographs outlining how the army is implementing its plan to restrict weapons in the area.

Army Commander General Rodolph Haykal attended the briefing and was described by several participants as calm and composed despite pointed questions from diplomats.

Asked by one ambassador about the number of weapons seized compared with what was originally present, Haykal said the army does not know the total number of firearms, facilities, or ammunition that existed beforehand. He said the army's task is to sweep, control, and confiscate, adding that once operations are completed, the area can be declared free of weapons.

Another Western ambassador asked whether Israeli military actions were helping the army's mission. Haykal responded that the opposite was true, saying Israeli violations must stop for the military to complete its work, after which it can be held accountable.

Egypt's ambassador, Alaa Moussa, said the army's presentation offered an important opportunity to counter Israeli narratives and provided diplomats with a clearer picture of realities on the ground.

The visit continued with a second field tour lasting about an hour and a half in a rugged valley area. Diplomats were transported in army Humvees through muddy terrain and forested roads to reach a tunnel carved into a mountainside.

An Arab diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said accessing such sites would usually require large military formations. The tunnel was one of several that had previously been inaccessible except by rope.

During the field inspection, diplomats observed firsthand the obstacles facing the army, including Israeli threats and logistical shortages. According to the same Arab source, the tour underscored the need to support the army, warning that local militias tend to emerge when the military is perceived as unable to carry out its duties.

Saudi Arabia's ambassador also joined the tour, arriving late and receiving a separate briefing from the commander of the South Litani sector.

Haykal also addressed sensitive legal issues related to house searches, noting the particular cultural and religious sensitivity of entering bedrooms in Muslim homes, a point that drew appreciation from several ambassadors. Moussa added that such sensitivities apply to both Muslim and non-Muslim communities.

Among Haykal's key messages, Moussa said, was that the army is proceeding strictly according to the plan laid out for it. When U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa asked about the next phase of the disarmament plan, Haykal replied that the decision rests with the government, stressing that preserving civil peace remains the army's top priority.

Following the tour, Issa issued a statement saying he had observed the army's continued progress and reaffirmed Washington's commitment to supporting Lebanon along this path.

The visit by diplomats and military attachés was the second such tour after an earlier one organized for journalists. Its significance lay in both the impressions it left and its timing, coming just hours before Haykal's participation in a Paris meeting with officials from France, the United States, and Saudi Arabia.