Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal on Wednesday visited the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the southern town of Naqoura, where he held talks with UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Aroldo Lázaro.

The meeting centered on recent developments in the area south of the Litani River and underscored the importance of close coordination between the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL under the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

In light of the repeated assaults on UNIFIL patrols in southern Lebanon, General Haykal reaffirmed the critical role of UNIFIL in efforts to restore and maintain stability in the border area. He stressed the need for continued cooperation between Lebanese forces and the UN peacekeeping mission as a cornerstone of security in the region.

General Haykal highlighted that the ongoing Israeli aggressions, including land incursions and airspace violations, as well as the continued occupation of Lebanese territory, poses significant challenges to the Army’s ability to fully deploy and operate in the south.

He noted that these violations not only threaten Lebanon’s stability but also obstruct efforts to implement Resolution 1701 in full, which calls for a cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, and the deployment of the Lebanese Army alongside UNIFIL in the south.