Top US military officer met with Lebanese counterpart in Washington

WASHINGTON - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, the United States' highest-ranking military officer, met this week with General Rodolphe Haykal, Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), In a significant high-level military engagement amid ongoing regional tensions. 

The meeting, which took place on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., underscored the enduring US-Lebanon defense partnership and focused on key security issues in the Middle East.

The encounter was part of a broader series of discussions during General Haykal's visit to the US, his first to Washington since assuming command of the LAF in March 2025. 

Haykal's trip, spanning early February 2026, included stops at US Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Florida and meetings with officials from the Pentagon, National Security Council, CIA, State Department, and members of Congress.

A statement from US Joint Staff spokesman Joseph Holstead highlighted the talks, noting that General Caine met with Haykal on Tuesday and with Qatar's defense chief the previous day. The discussions "reaffirmed the importance of the United States' enduring defense relationships in the Middle East," though specific details of the agenda were not disclosed publicly.

Context of the meeting

The meeting comes against the backdrop of Lebanon's complex security environment, particularly efforts to implement a ceasefire with Israel and advance the disarmament of non-state armed groups, including the Iran-backed Hezbollah. Haykal's visit had been anticipated since late 2025 but follows a canceled trip in November 2025, when US officials expressed frustration over the perceived slow pace of progress on disarming Hezbollah and related issues.

During his time in Washington, Haykal held extensive consultations on US military assistance to the LAF, logistical support, and Lebanon's plans to extend state authority over weapons nationwide. 

Reports indicate discussions also covered border security, ceasefire monitoring mechanisms, and the upcoming phase of disarmament efforts south and north of key rivers like the Litani and Awali. 

Haykal has reiterated the LAF's commitment to internal security and the Lebanese government's pledge to monopolize legitimate arms in the country.

The visit also featured interactions on Capitol Hill, where Haykal met with figures such as House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast and Ranking Member Gregory Meeks. 

While many meetings were described as positive, some Republican lawmakers voiced ongoing concerns about Hezbollah's influence and the LAF's effectiveness in addressing it, potentially impacting future US aid decisions.

The face-to-face engagement between the top US and Lebanese military leaders signals continued American interest in bolstering Lebanon's national institutions amid fragility. With the Middle East facing multiple flashpoints, including the fragile Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and broader Iranian influence concerns, such dialogues aim to align strategies on security cooperation, counterterrorism, and stability.