Lebanon Considers Fire Control Cell to Enforce Ceasefire and Israeli Withdrawal

According to ministerial sources close to the Lebanese presidency, President Joseph Aoun welcomed the idea of establishing a cell tasked with ensuring a comprehensive ceasefire and overseeing the subsequent Israeli withdrawal. This position was expressed during a trilateral call involving the US Vice President JD Vance, the US President's senior advisor Jared Kushner, and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. The sources emphasized that this proposal aligns with and complements the current Lebanon-Israel negotiations underway in Washington.

The sources explained that the initial phase of this effort will focus on consolidating the ceasefire and securing control over the military and security situation. The second phase will address the completion of the Israeli withdrawal. Details regarding the cell’s operations and authorities are scheduled for discussion in Washington meetings over the next two days. These discussions will consider whether to implement a working mechanism at the district level, as previously proposed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, or to designate specific areas for field testing, alongside other potential approaches.

The sources also noted that the issue of Hezbollah’s armament remains a key concern for the US side. However, discussions on the related implementation mechanisms are expected to take place at a later stage.