US general tasked with enforcing Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire praises work of Lebanese army

The US military general leading the committee tasked with enforcing the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah hails the efforts of the Lebanese Armed Forces in implementing the early stages of the agreement following a visit to one of the LAF’s bases in southern Lebanon.

US Major General Jasper Jeffers and French Brigadier General Guillaume Ponchin visited the LAF’s 5th Brigade headquarters, which is located five kilometers northeast of Naqoura — one of the two towns from which Israeli forces have withdrawn as part of the ceasefire.

“As part of the Mechanism-enabled transition, the LAF immediately deployed forces to the area to clear roads, remove unauthorized munitions, and provide security for the people of Lebanon,” a statement from the US Embassy in Beirut says.

“Jeffers and Ponchin viewed stockpiles of weapons to be destroyed in the coming days, which the LAF seized from unauthorized armed groups,” the US readout reveals.

“The LAF is the legitimate security provider for Lebanon and continues to demonstrate to me and the rest of the Mechanism it has the capability, intent, and leadership to secure and defend Lebanon. They have acted decisively, rapidly, and with clear expertise. Today, we saw an example of this with the soldiers of the 5th Brigade. The engineer corps in particular is full of true professionals, removing and rendering safe hundreds of pieces of unexploded ordnance every week,” Jeffers says in his own statement.

U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers, the Co-Chairman of the Cessation of Hostilities Implementation Mechanism, and French Brigadier General Guillaume Ponchin visited the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) 5th Brigade headquarters in southwest Lebanon, Jan. 7. Generals Jeffers and Ponchin… pic.twitter.com/btcsJUWeS9

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 7, 2025