The U.S. military will have a direct role in monitoring actions by both the Lebanese Armed Forces and Israel Defense Forces, with U.S. troops on the ground in both countries, according to a report by the Washington Post on Monday, citing an unnamed U.S. official.
The move is intended to allow the United States to apply necessary pressure on both sides to ensure compliance with the commitments set out in the trilateral framework agreement reached last week by the U.S., Israel, and Lebanon.
The head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Adm. Brad Cooper, is not taking a direct role in overseeing either side, but officials with CENTCOM would report any violations to the Trump administration, which would then engage, the official said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Israel and Lebanon have reached a U.S.-brokered framework agreement for "lasting peace and security", despite repeated failures to uphold previous ceasefire agreements between the two neighbors.
The framework agreement, signed at the end of the latest round of four-day ambassador-level talks in Washington, D.C. on Friday, called again for the implementation of a fragile ceasefire between the two Mideast nations.
However, tensions quickly resumed with Israeli strikes in several areas of Lebanon on Sunday. In response, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said that the Lebanese parliament would not approve the agreement, saying it failed to safeguard Lebanon's rights.
US to deploy troops in Israel, Lebanon to track both sides' actions: media
