Military talks between Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to resume on Tuesday in Tampa, Florida. The Israeli military recently accused the Lebanese army of coordinating with Hezbollah to obstruct security arrangements and permit the group to move weapons.
Retired Lebanese Brig. Gen. Bassam Yassin rejected these claims. "The intention is certainly to create tension around the negotiations and put the army in a position where it has to defend itself," he stated. Regarding the specific accusations, Yassin added, "Of course, the army is not going to dismantle Hezbollah’s weapons and infrastructure in the south right now. There is an occupation and aggression on your land. Can the army confront civilians and tell them: ‘I want to dismantle your defences’? That is impossible."
Disputed Claims Over Military Conduct
Lebanese army officials rejected the Israeli accusations, describing the claims as false and an attempt to undermine the military's credibility. Military representatives stated that the allegations seek to damage the standing of the institution ahead of the upcoming talks.
Regarding specific evidence provided by Israel, the Lebanese army contested the location of a reported strike. Officials asserted that the footage of a truck being struck was filmed on 3 July 2026 in the village of Seddiqin. The military maintained that the incident did not occur at the Kafra facility as Israel claimed. Lebanese authorities indicated that the misidentification of the site reflects a wider pattern of inaccurate reporting concerning operations in southern Lebanon.
Timeline of Kafra Facility Construction
Lebanese army officials stated that construction of the military facility in Kafra began in December 2025. Operations at the site were suspended on 16 March 2026 following a request from the monitoring mechanism. Construction activity resumed on 15 August 2026, and the Lebanese army completed the work on 16 October 2026.
These developments occurred after a tripartite framework agreement between the United States, Israel, and Lebanon was signed on 26 June 2026. This agreement established the parameters for communication between the respective parties.
Retired Lebanese Brig. Gen. Bassam Yassin defended the military’s recent record regarding these and other operations. "All this talk about the army’s failure does not reflect the major successes it achieved south of the Litani River in 2024 and 2025," Yassin said.
