BEIRUT — Lebanon has been moving through one of its most sensitive moments in recent months, where military diplomacy, Israeli escalation, and internal fragility intersect dangerously. 

While the spotlight this week falls on the visit of Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal to Washington, events on the ground—from the southern border to the health sector—reveal a broader picture: Lebanon is being tested simultaneously on its security, economy, and basic humanitarian foundations.

General Haykal’s visit to Washington is far from ceremonial as he is scheduled to meet senior U.S. military officials, alongside protocol meetings organized by the Lebanese Embassy. 

On his return, Haykal is expected to stop in Paris to brief French officials, particularly in preparation for the international conference to support the Lebanese army in March. 
According to senior military sources, the visit follows an earlier American hesitation to receive him, prompting Haykal to prepare a detailed and professional file addressing the U.S. concerns head-on.

That file documents the army’s role in implementing the 2024 ceasefire agreement, especially south of the Litani River. It includes maps, photographs, and operational data covering every mission conducted by the LAF, as well as a clear account of the obstacles it has faced—chief among them Israeli violations.

These range from airstrikes and targeted assassinations to preventing the army from accessing certain border points, in addition to Israel’s continued occupation of several positions that obstruct full Lebanese control.

Haykal is not expected to enter into any discussion regarding coordination with Hezbollah; instead, he will emphasize that Lebanon has fulfilled the requirements of the first phase of the ceasefire, as approved by the government. 
Haykal will also warn of the social and security risks created by preventing southern residents from returning to their homes and by delaying reconstruction. 

Importantly, Haykal is expected to stress that the army will not be dragged into confrontations with Lebanese citizens or factions to impose decisions lacking national consensus, cautioning that such a path could fracture internal stability.

Yet, while these discussions unfold in Washington, Israeli actions on the ground continue to escalate. In southern Lebanon, Israeli aircraft have not limited themselves to military strikes.

Since last week, agricultural planes belonging to the occupation sprayed toxic chemicals over vast areas of farmland adjacent to the border fence with occupied Palestine.

These lands constitute the primary source of livelihood for local residents; the hostile move, widely interpreted in the context of discussions around establishing a “buffer zone,” echoes similar practices carried out by Israel along other borders, including in Syria. 

Beyond the immediate environmental damage, this tactic appears designed to empty border areas of their population by destroying the conditions necessary for civilian life.

At the same time, the health sector has been pushed into the line of fire; Israel’s threats against Salah Ghandour Hospital triggered nationwide condemnation, raising alarm over the deliberate endangerment of medical facilities and civilian lives.

The Syndicate of Private Hospital Owners issued a strong statement denouncing any threat to hospitals, stressing that such actions constitute a clear violation of international law and humanitarian conventions. 

Meanwhile, political and diplomatic maneuvering continues. Preparations are underway for a meeting of the “Mechanism Committee” on the 25th of this month, with the U.S. represented solely by its ambassador to Lebanon. 

Hezbollah has already expressed strong objections to statements attributed to Lebanon’s representative, accusing him of indirectly justifying Israeli aggression.

Parallel to this, Syria has witnessed new security accusations attempting to link Hezbollah to destabilizing acts—claims it has firmly denied, while some regional sources point instead to Israeli fingerprints behind such incidents.

Taken together, these developments expose a single, unsettling reality. Lebanon is not facing isolated pressures but a comprehensive campaign that combines military escalation, environmental warfare, economic strangulation, and psychological pressure.

From Washington’s meeting rooms to poisoned fields and threatened hospitals, the question confronting Lebanon is no longer technical or procedural!

It is existential: how to preserve sovereignty, protect civilians, and prevent the country from sliding into a space where decisions are imposed by force rather than forged by national consensus.