Newsletters
The U.S. scrapped a scheduled visit by Lebanese army chief Gen. Rodolphe Haykal to Washington on Tuesday after several American lawmakers sharply criticized his recent statement condemning Israel, prompting diplomatic discomfort.
In an emailed notice, the Lebanese Embassy in Washington announced the cancellation of the reception that had been planned for Tuesday in honor of the army chief, expressing appreciation for guests’ understanding and saying it would inform them of a new date once set.
The local MTV Lebanon television confirmed the cancellation, explaining that the visit was cancelled due to the U.S. objections to a recent army statement that blamed Israel for the escalation, without mentioning Hezbollah.
On Sunday, the Lebanese Army Command issued a statement highlighting Israel’s targeting of a UNIFIL patrol, saying that “the Israeli enemy insists on violating Lebanese sovereignty, destabilizing the country, and obstructing the army’s full deployment in the south.”
The development comes amid escalating Israeli criticism of the Lebanese Army, accusing it of being unable to enforce a weapons-control plan and of siding with Hezbollah. U.S. criticism of the army commander has also intensified, with some voices calling for the suspension of assistance.
Among the most prominent remarks were those made by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who visited Lebanon last August as part of a U.S. delegation—and who has long taken some of the toughest positions against Hezbollah.
Lawmakers described his remarks as “a major setback to efforts to move Lebanon forward” and argued that “the Lebanese Armed Forces are an unproductive investment for the United States.”
In an emailed notice, the Lebanese Embassy in Washington announced the cancellation of the reception that had been planned for Tuesday in honor of the army chief, expressing appreciation for guests’ understanding and saying it would inform them of a new date once set.
On Sunday, the Lebanese Army Command issued a statement highlighting Israel’s targeting of a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon patrol (UNFIL), saying that “the Israeli enemy insists on violating Lebanese sovereignty, destabilizing the country, and obstructing the army’s full deployment in the south.”
The development comes amid escalating Israeli criticism of the Lebanese Army, accusing it of being unable to enforce a weapons-control plan and of siding with Hezbollah. U.S. criticism of the army commander has also intensified, with some voices calling for the suspension of assistance.
Among the most prominent remarks were those made by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who visited Lebanon last August as part of a U.S. delegation and who has long taken some of the toughest positions against Hezbollah.
On the eve of the army commander’s visit to Washington, Graham wrote on his X account, “It is clear that the Lebanese Army Chief of Staff, by describing Israel as the enemy and through his weak or nonexistent efforts to disarm Hezbollah, represents a major setback to efforts to move Lebanon forward.”
“This combination makes the Lebanese Armed Forces an unproductive investment for the United States,” he added.
Graham’s remarks also came in response to a post by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst on X on Monday, in which she reposted the Lebanese Army’s statement and wrote, “I am disappointed by this statement from the army.”
She added that the Lebanese Army is a strategic partner, and as I discussed with the Army Chief of Staff last August, Israel has given Lebanon a real opportunity to free itself from the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists.
"Instead of seizing this opportunity and working together to disarm Hezbollah, the Army Chief shamefully places the blame on Israel," she noted.
The tensions come as some Lebanese political groups criticize the army’s performance in meetings with U.S. officials—a dynamic that prompted Army Commander Joseph Aoun to accuse domestic actors of “incitement” abroad.
Israel’s violations continued Tuesday, when an airstrike killed a civilian employee of the Bint Jbeil Municipal Union, which said he was targeted while heading to work.
The union condemned the attack as part of Israel’s “indiscriminate aggression” and urged the government to protect state institutions and their staff.
2 min read
