Lebanese MP Demands Dismissal of Army Chief Rodolphe Haykal Over Failure to Disarm Hezbollah Forces

MP Fouad Makhzoumi says Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal must be removed if the military fails to disarm Hezbollah and secure the Litani River zone.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 27, 2026, 11:05 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Times of Israel

A Rare Challenge to Military Leadership

The leadership of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) has come under direct political fire as Member of Parliament Fouad Makhzoumi called for the potential ouster of Commander Rodolphe Haykal. During an appearance on the "Decision Points" podcast, hosted by David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Makhzoumi asserted that the military chief serves at the pleasure of the president and the cabinet. He argued that if Haykal is unable to execute the national directive to disarm Hezbollah, he should be replaced by a leader capable of delivering results. While Makhzoumi represents the National Dialogue Party, a small secular faction, his public demand for high level military accountability highlights a growing frustration within Lebanon over the state's inability to assert a monopoly on the use of force.

The Failure of the Litani Buffer Zone

Makhzoumi’s criticism is sharpened by recent military developments that have contradicted official army narratives. Earlier this year, General Haykal announced that the LAF had successfully disarmed Hezbollah elements south of the Litani River, a strategic zone roughly 20 to 30 kilometers from the Israeli border. This claim was intended to signal Lebanese compliance with long-standing international resolutions and the current ceasefire framework. However, the persistence of rocket and drone fire originating from these supposedly cleared areas during the recent regional war has cast significant doubt on the army's reporting. The discrepancy between the military’s public declarations and the reality of ongoing militant operations has fueled accusations that the disarmament process is more symbolic than substantive.

The Five Phase Disarmament Roadmap

Last year, General Haykal introduced a comprehensive five-phase roadmap designed to gradually transition Hezbollah’s military assets to state control. While the plan was initially welcomed by some international observers as a sign of progress, it has since been criticized by domestic and foreign critics for its lack of a firm implementation schedule. Detractors argue that the absence of clear deadlines allows the militant group to retain its infrastructure indefinitely while the government uses the roadmap as a diplomatic shield against international pressure. For figures like Makhzoumi, the roadmap is increasingly seen...