Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal on Monday met with a delegation from the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), including its president and chief executive, former U.S. Ambassador Edward Gabriel, for discussions on Lebanon’s security situation and the challenges facing the army as Washington presses for progress on Hezbollah’s disarmament.

Haykal received Gabriel and members of the ATFL board at his office in Yarze, where they discussed the latest developments in Lebanon and the wider region, as well as the army’s missions and the difficulties it faces at a particularly sensitive stage.

Gabriel praised the sacrifices made by Lebanese soldiers and highlighted the army’s role in preserving security and stability across the country.

Haykal, for his part, reaffirmed that the army would continue carrying out the responsibilities assigned to it under the June framework agreement, within the limits of its available capabilities, despite continued Israeli attacks and what Lebanon considers violations of the understandings reached under the agreement.

The meeting came after a broader visit by U.S. congressional staff to Beirut last week, during which bipartisan delegations met Lebanon’s political and military leadership to gain a first-hand assessment of the country’s security challenges.

The visit was organized by the ATFL and included Republican and Democratic congressional staff from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, including aides to the leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The delegation met U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa, as well as advisers to President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. It also held meetings with Haykal, government ministers and members of parliament.

“This trip gave us an opportunity to listen, learn and exchange perspectives with Lebanese leaders representing a wide range of political parties and viewpoints,” Gabriel told The National.

He said the delegation’s aim was to give congressional staff a clearer understanding of Lebanon’s security challenges while allowing Lebanese officials to better understand Washington’s position and expectations under the U.S.-backed framework.

Focus on Hezbollah disarmament

The June framework agreement, which includes the United States as a party, calls for Hezbollah to disarm and for Israeli forces to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon.

Under the arrangement, the Lebanese army is expected to deploy in areas vacated by Israeli troops, beginning with designated areas known as “pilot zones.”

Gabriel said he left the visit encouraged by what he described as a broad convergence between Washington and Beirut over how the disarmament process should proceed, while cautioning that the framework faces major challenges in the coming year.

“Generally, we reviewed the framework and how they are going to sequence verification, disarmament and reconstruction,” Gabriel said.

He said discussions with Salam focused on the government’s progress on economic and governance reforms, as well as the obstacles facing reconstruction efforts.

Gabriel said the framework would require careful sequencing of verification, disarmament and reconstruction, underscoring the importance of coordinating the various stages rather than treating them as separate processes.

Banking and economic recovery

The congressional staff also met Central Bank Governor Karim Souaid for talks on Lebanon’s banking sector, monetary stability and the broader economic recovery.

The discussions covered efforts to restore confidence among investors and address the long-running weaknesses in Lebanon’s financial system.