Lebanon's Army Chief Heads to Pakistan for Talks
The Lebanese army confirmed in an official statement that Haykal made the trip at the personal invitation of Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. No details regarding the duration of the visit or its agenda were disclosed.
The timing of the trip is significant. Israel has continued military strikes against Lebanon in defiance of a fragile ceasefire that took effect in mid-April. Lebanese authorities report that Israeli attacks since March 2 have claimed the lives of 3,593 people and left 10,990 others wounded.
Haykal's visit also intersects with Pakistan's active diplomatic role as a mediator between Iran and the United States — an effort with direct implications for Lebanon's stability. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei declared that a ceasefire in Lebanon was an indispensable element of any prospective Iran-US agreement.
However, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam pushed back sharply on Friday, warning that Iran must stop treating southern Lebanon and its civilian population as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with Washington.
The broader crisis traces back to February 28, when the US and Israel launched coordinated military operations against Iran — sparking a conflict that Iranian authorities say has killed more than 3,000 people on Iranian soil. Tehran retaliated with strikes against US and Israeli targets, as well as facilities it identified as American military installations across multiple countries.
A temporary ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation was reached on April 8, but collapsed just three days later. Washington subsequently imposed a blockade on Iranian ports — including critical facilities along the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which a substantial portion of global energy supplies flows daily.
On Thursday, the US, Lebanon, and Israel jointly announced a declaration of intent following four rounds of negotiations in Washington, aimed at reinforcing the ceasefire framework and easing tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border.
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