Deal reached to appoint Rudolph Haykal as army chief

An agreement has been finalized to appoint Major General Rudolph Haykal as the new commander of the Lebanese army, according to a senior government source. The remaining security-related appointments are expected to be completed in the coming week, following further discussions within government circles.

The source indicated there are no major disputes surrounding these security appointments. The current plan is to allow General Security’s acting chief, Major General Elias Bayssari, to continue in his role until the conclusion of his extended term, ensuring continuity in that sensitive position.

Central Bank Governor Role and Further Discussions

While progress has been made on military and security leadership roles, the nomination process for the next Central Bank governor has yet to be formally addressed. Discussions on that appointment are expected to take place at a later stage as political negotiations continue.

Separately, there is speculation that Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri may travel to Baabda to meet with President Joseph Aoun to review the remaining appointments. However, by late Wednesday evening, the visit had not been officially confirmed.

Disagreements over certain positions, particularly in General Security and State Security, have slowed the process and may ultimately prevent the issue from being raised outside the formal cabinet agenda at the next government session.