BEIRUT / ISTANBUL 

Lebanese Army Commander Rudolph Haykal held talks Wednesday with Arab and foreign officials on developments in Lebanon and preparations for an upcoming international conference to support the military.

A military statement said the meeting included Saudi Foreign Ministry adviser Yazid bin Farhan and French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian.

The meeting was attended by the ambassadors of the US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and France, as well as Qatari Assistant Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulaziz.

Participants discussed the latest developments in Lebanon and ongoing preparations for an international conference to support the Lebanese army, scheduled to be held in France, the statement said.

Earlier Wednesday, the Lebanese presidency announced that preparations were underway for an international conference in Paris on March 5 to support the army and internal security forces.

On Aug. 5, 2025, Lebanon’s government approved a decision to limit the possession of weapons exclusively to state institutions, including arms held by Hezbollah, prompting the Lebanese army to draft a five-phase plan to implement the measure.

The army said earlier this week that the first phase of the plan south of the Litani River had been completed and that implementation had reached an advanced stage, warning that continued Israeli attacks and the occupation of Lebanese territory were undermining the process.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, has reiterated its refusal to relinquish its weapons, calling for an end to Israeli attacks on Lebanon and a full withdrawal from occupied Lebanese land.

In recent weeks, Israeli media reported that the army has completed preparations for a potential large-scale attack against Hezbollah positions if the Lebanese government and army fail to dismantle the group’s weapons.

Hezbollah and Israel have observed a ceasefire since November 2024, ending more than a year of cross-border attacks amid the war in Gaza. More than 4,000 people were killed, and 17,000 others were injured.

Under the ceasefire, the Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon, but it only partially pulled out and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.