General Guillaume Ponchin, who represents France in the ceasefire monitoring mechanism in southern Lebanon, emphasized the Lebanese army’s growing strength and commitment to maintaining stability. Speaking to Annahar during a press briefing in Paris, he detailed the progress made since the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon on November 27.

“The main effort has been to prevent the resumption of large-scale hostilities through daily dialogue between the parties, complementing the work of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on the ground,” Ponchin stated, underscoring that the Lebanese army has been fulfilling its duties effectively and is increasingly recognized for its operational capabilities, including by Israeli authorities.

Ponchin stressed that a crucial aspect of the ceasefire implementation is ensuring that the Israeli army withdraw completely from Lebanese territory and that only the Lebanese army operates south of the Litani River. He noted that the monitoring mechanism has conducted over 1,200 deconfliction and mediation actions between the parties since November 26, facilitating stability through coordinated efforts.

The general highlighted significant progress in dismantling Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, as he affirmed that the monitoring committee meticulously documents Hezbollah’s positions before and after disarmament, ensuring transparency.

“The Lebanese army has conducted multiple missions to locate, seize, and destroy illegal weapons found on the ground, with every step carefully documented through photographs submitted to the committee,” Ponchin said, emphasizing the unprecedented effort to secure the area south of the Litani River.

Despite these advances, Ponchin acknowledged several challenges. He identified three major obstacles: restricted mobility in some areas due to destruction, the dangers of remaining landmines and unexploded ordnance, and the presence of Israeli forces at five locations, which limits Lebanese army movements. These areas, he noted, are marked in yellow on operational maps.

Ponchin praised the Lebanese army’s extensive efforts in securing the region and supporting the return of civilians. He revealed that the army has so far carried out over 170 operations to dismantle or destroy illegal weapon sites, reinforcing the credibility of Lebanon’s leadership in ensuring national security.

Looking ahead, he confirmed France’s continued involvement in the monitoring mechanism alongside the United States and UNIFIL.

“Task Force Cèdre will continue its efforts to ensure that each party honors its initial commitments,” he said. “The objective is to restore full Lebanese sovereignty across its entire territory.”