Joseph AOun

Centcom Chief Visits Israel After Beirut

The new head of the US military's Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, concluded his first visit to Israel in the role on Saturday, the Israeli military said. "The visit focused on the operational cooperation between the IDF (Israeli military) and the US military, maintaining regional stability in both nearby and distant arenas, and ...

Lebanon Advances Cooperation with US

Lebanon is advancing its cooperation with the United States, with President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun urging Washington on Saturday to press Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanese territories. Aoun also reaffirmed the importance of US backing for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Aoun stressed the need to fully implement last ...

Rasamny Says Kleiate Airport Works to Begin in Early 2026

Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rassamny announced on Saturday that works at Kleiate Airport will begin at the start of 2026. Speaking from the airport’s runway, the minister noted that “both the president of the Republic and the Prime Minister have been determined since the beginning of the current term to operate and activate ...

Cabinet Backs Army’s Disarmament Plan Despite Shia Ministers’ Walkout

The Cabinet met on Friday at the presidential palace in Baabda and approved the Lebanese Army’s plan to restore the state’s monopoly on weapons after reviewing its various phases, presented by Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal. The session, chaired by President Joseph Aoun, gave the green light to the military’s action plan in the absence ...

Council of Ministers: A Moment of Truth on Disarmament

The Council of Ministers will meet today to examine the Lebanese Army’s plan for militia disarmament. Despite the uncertainty, three points are clear before the session: the meeting will take place, ministers from the Shia duo will attend, and the army’s plan will be formally submitted to the government. However, serious doubts remain that ...

Aoun: Lebanon Must Not Waste Its Chance for Safety

President Joseph Aoun urged on Tuesday the Lebanese to seize a rare opportunity to place the country on a path toward stability and security, warning that failure to act would leave Lebanon vulnerable to internal divisions and regional turmoil. Speaking to the new board of the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, which visited him in Baabda, Aoun ...

Le Drian in Beirut to Prepare Lebanon Conferences

French presidential envoy and former foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is expected in Beirut within days. He has been tasked by President Emmanuel Macron with following up on Lebanon’s political and economic developments. His mission will center on preparing two international conferences: one aimed at supporting Lebanon’s reconstruction, and ...

Fatah Reaffirms Commitment to Disarm All Palestinian Camps

The official spokesman of the Palestinian Fatah movement, Abdel Fattah Dawla, reiterated on Sunday his group’s commitment, under the authority of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, to cooperate with Lebanese authorities in disarming Palestinian camps across Lebanon. “The delivery to the Lebanese government on Friday of a third batch of ...

Lebanon Welcomes UN Security Council’s Renewal of UNIFIL Mandate

President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed on Thursday the United Nations Security Council’s decision to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until December 31, 2026. President Aoun thanked all 15 Security Council members for their unanimous support, singling out France as penholder for ...

Lebanon Welcomes UN Decision on UNIFIL Mandate

President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed on Thursday the United Nations Security Council’s decision to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until December 31, 2026. President Aoun thanked all 15 Security Council members for their unanimous support, singling out France as penholder ...

Macron Voices Support for Lebanon’s Weapons Restriction Plan

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday expressed support for the Lebanese government’s plan to restrict weapons, describing it as a key step that must be carried out carefully, “especially since it has received broad European and international backing.” In a phone call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Macron discussed ...