President of the Republic Joseph Aoun informed the newly appointed head of the Cessation of Hostilities Oversight Committee (Mechanism), US General Joseph Clearfield, during a meeting at the Baabda Palace this morning, of the need to reactivate the committee’s work to put an end to Israel’s repeated violations of Lebanese sovereignty and to uphold the agreement reached in November 2024.
President Aoun reaffirmed that Lebanon, which has fully abided by the cessation-of-hostilities agreement, pins great hopes on the committee’s efforts to restore stability in southern Lebanon and to prevent Israel’s unjustified and unacceptable attacks targeting civilians, commercial, and industrial facilities.
The president further emphasized that the Lebanese Armed Forces “are fully performing their duties south of the Litani River and expanding their deployment daily,” while urging pressure on ‘Israel’ to withdraw from the occupied Lebanese territories so that the army can complete its full deployment up to the international southern border.
For his part, General Clearfield briefed President Aoun on the latest Mechanism Committee meeting, noting that the sessions “will now be held regularly to reinforce the cessation of hostilities in the South,” and outlined a series of steps aimed at consolidating this goal.
Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, on Thursday met in Ain Al-Tineh with General Clearfield, accompanied by a military delegation, in the presence of U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Keith Hennigan and Berri’s media adviser Ali Hamdan. Discussions covered field developments in southern Lebanon and the committee’s ongoing work.
Berri raised with General Clearfield Israel’s continued daily aggressions, including air raids targeting civilians and economic, industrial, and agricultural infrastructure across southern Lebanon, as well as its occupation of wide Lebanese areas along the border, clear violations of the ceasefire agreement and obstruction of UN Resolution 1701.
General Clearfield outlined the committee’s upcoming agenda and mechanisms, expressing hope for tangible progress toward achieving a lasting ceasefire and Israel’s withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories.
Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, met at the Grand Serail with General Clearfield. The discussions are expected to focus on maintaining stability in southern Lebanon and strengthening coordination within the framework of the Mechanism’s mandate.
Source: NNA
