Lebanon President Meets US Commander as Hezbollah Rejects Washington Deal

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun met Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, on Monday at the presidential palace in Baabda. Aoun told Cooper that Beirut intended to assert its sovereignty over the entire country, with the army deployed right up to the Israeli border.

The two discussed the Washington-brokered agreement signed last week by Israel and Lebanon aimed at a peace deal, Al-Monitor reported.

Cooper also met Lebanon's army chief Rodolphe Haykal. Their discussions addressed the latest developments in Lebanon and the region as well as the importance of implementing the security annex of the framework agreement and ways of strengthening future cooperation. As part of the Washington deal, Hezbollah is to be disarmed, with the onus on the Lebanese army.

Israeli leaders have said their troops will continue to occupy the south until Hezbollah is disarmed. The deal commits Lebanon to restoring sovereignty over its territory through the verified disarmament of non-state armed groups and dismantlement of associated infrastructure, enabling a progressive Israeli withdrawal, according to the text released by the State Department.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Washington would reimburse Lebanon's army for $30 million to improve the capability and capacity of the Lebanese military.

Central Command posted on X that Cooper, Aoun and Haykal discussed the path forward in implementing the Washington agreement. Cooper also visited Israel. Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in March with rocket fire at Israel, triggering Israeli airstrikes and a ground invasion.