By Mohammad Sio
ISTANBUL (AA) – The US praised the Lebanese army on Wednesday for its efforts to bring all weapons under state control during a recent multilateral meeting hosted by the United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon.
In a statement, the US Embassy in Beirut said senior officials met in Naqoura for the 12th session of the “Pentalateral” mechanism, which reviews the Lebanese army’s progress on maintaining a ceasefire with Israel and advancing disarmament efforts.
The mechanism, established after the most recent war between Israel and Hezbollah, includes UNIFIL, Lebanon, Israel, France, and the US. It is tasked with monitoring the ceasefire agreement that has been in effect since November 2024.
The meeting was attended by Lt. Gen. Joseph Clearfield, chair of the mechanism; US Counselor Morgan Ortagus; and senior representatives from the participating delegations.
All members reaffirmed their shared commitment to Lebanon’s stability and agreed to formalize the schedule for future sessions, with the next four to be held before the end of the year, the statement said.
“We continue to monitor developments in Lebanon and welcome the government’s decision to bring all weapons under state control by the end of the year,” Ortagus said, adding that the Lebanese army “must now fully implement its plan.”
Clearfield praised the Lebanese army’s performance during recent field operations, saying he had “observed them conduct a wide range of missions, from providing escorts for olive harvesting to carrying out complex operations to locate, dismantle, and neutralize an underground facility believed to be used by malign actors.”
“The Lebanese army’s professionalism and commitment are notable,” Clearfield said. “Their performance reflects the strength of Lebanon’s Armed Forces and their resolve to secure their nation’s future.”
He also said that formalizing the Pentalateral’s meeting schedule “ensures that all participants are aligned, informed, and ready to present transparent updates to the international community,” adding that “this predictability supports operational efficiency and builds the shared confidence and trust necessary to advance lasting peace in Lebanon.”
The group also discussed ways to address violations of the ceasefire. Participants agreed that monitoring and mitigation of such violations will remain a standing agenda item in all future sessions as part of their collective effort to uphold peace and accountability.
In August, the Lebanese government approved a plan to confine all weapons under state control. Hezbollah rejected the plan and stressed that it will retain its arms until Israel withdraws from five occupied border outposts in the south.
The meeting came as Israel has escalated its attacks on Lebanon in recent weeks, including assassinations of individuals it claims are Hezbollah members and intense bombardment across eastern and southern areas of the country.
Under the November 2024 ceasefire, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 2025. However, it has so far only partially pulled out troops and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.