Preparations underway in Paris: International conference to support Lebanese Army expected in January

Report by Bassam Abou Zeid, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

French and American sources have indicated that the international conference to support the Lebanese Army is expected to take place in January, though a final date has not yet been set.

While Paris is the likely host, French officials told LBCI that France initially preferred holding the conference this month but did not object to postponing it for a few weeks to ensure its success.

In the lead-up to the conference, an important preparatory meeting is scheduled next week in Paris, bringing together U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus, Saudi Arabia's Prince Yazid bin Farhan, and France's Anne-Claire Legendre. According to French expectations, the Lebanese Army Commander, General Rodolph Haykal, is also set to participate.

Lebanese sources said officials in Beirut were informed directly by Ortagus that the conference will be held during the first month of 2026.

The sources added that two key factors lie behind the timing: the appointment of Simon Karam as head of Lebanon's negotiating delegation in Naqoura, and growing U.S., French, and international confidence that the Lebanese Army is precisely implementing its plan to restrict Hezbollah's weapons south and north of the Litani River. 

The army has been presenting detailed reports to the mechanism, the government, and the media, with the final report on the area south of the Litani expected in the first week of the new year.