Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun met with US General Michael Kurilla to discuss the implementation of a fragile truce between Hizbollah and Israel in southern Lebanon, as a deadline to fully implement the ceasefire terms approached. The two leaders discussed the deployment of Lebanese forces alongside UN peacekeepers in the south, the dismantling of Hizbollah's military infrastructure, and ways to activate cooperation between the Lebanese and American armies. The US has been a key financial backer of the Lebanese armed forces since the country's economy collapsed in 2019. Meanwhile, Israel carried out air strikes against Hizbollah targets in east and south Lebanon on Sunday, killing five people. Aoun also appointed Nawaf Salam, a judge at the International Court of Justice, as prime minister to form a government.
https://www.jordantimes.com/news/region/lebanon-president-us-general-discuss-hizbollah-israel-truceA US-brokered ceasefire has been agreed upon between Israel and Iran-backed Hizbollah, calling for a phased Israeli military pullout from Lebanon after over a year of war. The agreement is in line with a 2006 UN Security Council resolution that ended their last major conflict. The conflict began when Hizbollah opened fire on Israel in solidarity with its ally Hamas, following the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel by Hamas.
https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2025/01/11/at-least-two-killed-in-israeli-strike-on-southern-lebanonLebanese politicians are pushing for the election of a new president, with various blocs meeting to discuss the issue. US envoy Amos Hochstein has urged them to take advantage of the current truce between Israel and Hizbollah to reach a political consensus. French diplomatic sources have also been involved in the discussions, while Lebanese analyst Karim Bitar notes that President Aoun is being supported by the United States, as well as France and Saudi Arabia to a lesser extent.
https://www.jordantimes.com/news/region/lebanon-leaders-talks-new-bid-elect-president