Lebanon president, US general discuss Hizbollah-Israel truce

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanon's president and a top US general discussed on Monday the implementation of a fragile truce between Lebanese militant group Hizbollah and Israel in the south of the country, the presidency said.

President Joseph Aoun and the head of US Central Command, General Michael Kurilla, met as a January 26 deadline to fully implement the terms of the ceasefire approached.

Kurilla and Aoun spoke about "the situation in the south and the stages of implementing the Israeli withdrawal from the south," the presidency said.

Under the November 27 ceasefire accord, the Lebanese army has 60 days to deploy alongside UN peacekeepers in the south of Lebanon as the Israeli army withdraws.

At the same time, Hizbollah is required to pull its forces north of the Litani River, some 30 kilometres from the border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure it has in the country's south.

A committee composed of Israeli, Lebanese, French and US delegates, alongside a representative from the UN peacekeeping force, has been tasked with monitoring the implementation of the deal.

Former army chief Aoun was elected head of state on Thursday by lawmakers -- a vote that followed the weakening of Hamas in the war -- ending a more than two-year deadlock during which the position was vacant.

Aoun and Kurilla also discussed "ways to activate cooperation between the Lebanese and American armies," the presidency said.

The United States has been a key financial backer of the Lebanese armed forces, especially since the country's economy collapsed in 2019.

Meanwhile, Israel carried out air strikes in east and south Lebanon on Sunday, with the Israeli military saying it struck Hizbollah targets including smuggling routes along the border with Syria.

Israeli strikes in south Lebanon on Friday killed five people, according to the Lebanese health ministry, with the Israeli military saying it targeted a Hizbollah weapons truck.

Aoun on Monday picked Nawaf Salam, the presiding judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, as prime minister following consultations with lawmakers, the presidency said.

"The president of the republic called on Judge Nawaf Salam to task him with forming a government, knowing that he is currently abroad. It has been decided he will return tomorrow," it said.