MG Jasper Jeffers arrives in Beirut to co-chair 'ceasefire monitoring'
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The mechanism, led by the United States, will include representatives from the Lebanese Armed Forces, Israeli occupation forces, the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon, and France.
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Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, on November 25, 2024. (AP)
US Major General Jasper Jeffers of Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) arrived in Beirut on November 27 to "co-chair the implementation and monitoring mechanism for the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon."
The US Central Command explained that he will reportedly work alongside Amos Hochstein, senior advisor to the President, who will serve as the civilian co-chair until a permanent civilian official is appointed.
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 mechanism, led by the United States, will include representatives from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), Israeli occupation forces (IOF), the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and France. This group will allegedly oversee the enforcement of the ceasefire that took effect on November 26.
This comes as Lebanon's state news agency NNA reported yesterday that "Israel" violated the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon seven times, including shelling towns in the southern regions.
The violations occurred mainly in the Marj'youn district of Nabatieh Governorate and the Tyre district. One incident involved an Israeli tank shelling a home in Tal Nahhas, near Burj al-Moulouk, narrowly missing the homeowner. Additionally, Israeli occupation forces shelled the outskirts of Markaba, Talloussa, Odaisseh, Taybeh, and Houla, and deployed four tanks into western Khiam.
Two journalists were wounded Wednesday by Israeli fire while they were covering the return of residents and the Israeli withdrawal from the town of Khiam.
In Khiam, Israeli occupation forces reportedly opened fire on a funeral procession.
Israeli reconnaissance aircraft also conducted surveillance over villages in the Tyre and Bint Jbeil districts.
On its part, the Lebanese Army in the south reported multiple violations by the IOF since the ceasefire took effect, announcing in a statement that "on November 27 and 28, 2024, after the ceasefire agreement was announced, the Israeli enemy violated the agreement multiple times through air violations and by targeting Lebanese territory with various weapons."
Simultaneously, the Lebanese Army Command announced that its units had begun implementing tasks across the South, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s Southern Suburb.
This included setting up temporary checkpoints, clearing roads, and detonating unexploded ordnance while bolstering their presence in the area south of the Litani River as part of the ceasefire agreement.
Macron urges immediate halt of Lebanon-'Israel' ceasefire violations
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called for an "immediate" halt to all operations that violate the truce between Lebanon and "Israel", which has been in force since Wednesday.
According to AFP, during phone discussions with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and House Speaker Nabih Berri yesterday, Macron encouraged all sides to fully follow the ceasefire agreement, emphasizing that "all actions undermining this full implementation must stop immediately."
Death toll from Israeli aggression reaches 3,961 martyrs: Lebanese MoH
The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced in a statement on Thursday that the death toll from the Israeli aggression on Lebanon had risen to 3,961 martyrs, with 16,520 injured, as of last Tuesday, prior to the ceasefire between Lebanon and "Israel" taking effect early Wednesday morning.
According to the detailed daily report issued by the Ministry's Public Health Emergency Operations Center, Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday killed 78 people and injured 266 others.
The report also noted an increase in the death toll due to the retrieval of victims from beneath the rubble and the commencement of data refinement processes.
The Ministry clarified in its statement that it has initiated a comprehensive review of all data to include those gradually recovered from under the rubble and victims whose identities are confirmed after DNA testing.
It added that it is also coordinating with hospitals to ensure the provision of accurate and comprehensive figures.
