The United States (U.S.) has taken a leading role in monitoring the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which went into effect on November 26. According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Major General Jasper Jeffers, head of the US Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), arrived in Beirut last Wednesday to co-chair the implementation and monitoring mechanism alongside U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein.
𝐌𝐆 𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐨-𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 pic.twitter.com/Q9235iCrYq
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) November 29, 2024
The monitoring mechanism, chaired by the U.S., includes representatives from the Lebanese Armed Forces, the Israeli military, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and France. Maj. Gen. Jeffers will oversee military aspects, while Hochstein, serving as civilian co-chair until a permanent official is appointed, will handle diplomatic and administrative responsibilities. According to CENTCOM, this coalition will work to implement the truce and address any violations.
The agreement requires Hezbollah to withdraw from positions south of the Litani River and mandates the Lebanese army to deploy forces in these areas, coinciding with Israel’s withdrawal of ground troops. The ceasefire follows intense fighting that began after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, which triggered cross-border exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
Lebanese media has reported more than 60 Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement since it took effect. On Friday, the Israeli military struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon, citing detected militant activity.
A video released by the Israeli Defense Forces showed an airstrike targeting a moving truck alleged to carry the launcher. Israeli officials have emphasized their right to respond to threats, even under the ceasefire.
Hezbollah tried to move a medium range rocket launcher during the. Ceasefire. IDF spotted it and took it out. Watch: pic.twitter.com/ldEnT1oI71
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) November 30, 2024
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, who succeeded Hassan Nasrallah after his death in September, has pledged to collaborate with the Lebanese army to fortify the country’s defenses. In a televised speech on Friday, Qassem said: “We will work to strengthen Lebanon’s defensive capacities and ensure readiness against any enemy aggression.”
