Second 'Exceptional' Lebanon–US Military Meeting in 48 Hours at Beirut Air Base; IDF Chief Reiterates 'No Ceasefire' — Ceasefire Monitoring Mechanism Under Maximum Strain

On May 3, 2026, Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal and US General Joseph Clearfield held a second 'exceptional' meeting at the Beirut air base within 48 hours — underscoring the acute strain on the US-led ceasefire monitoring mechanism. L'Orient Today described the meeting as focused on the operational role of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in the south and the mechanics of the monitoring committee's ability to verify and respond to violations. The IDF continued operations in south Lebanon on May 3, reportedly dismantling approximately 70 military structures and over 50 Hezbollah infrastructure sites since May 2. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir reiterated in public statements that there was 'no ceasefire' in south Lebanon, stating Israeli forces were 'acting to dismantle Hezbollah's infrastructure.' Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam continued to call for full implementation of the US-brokered framework, insisting that Israeli operations — demolitions of homes, infrastructure strikes beyond the agreed buffer zone — constituted systematic violations that the monitoring mechanism was not equipped to stop. Hezbollah maintained its non-participation in the Washington diplomatic track; its five conditions (issued May 2) remained the benchmark for any resumed engagement. The Security Council Report's May 2026 Lebanon forecast flagged sustained risk of ceasefire collapse before the May 14 deadline. The two Haykal-Clearfield meetings in 48 hours are notable: they signal US urgency to maintain the monitoring architecture before the three-week extension expires, but the persistence of Israeli strikes and Hezbollah's non-participation mean the framework exists primarily to preserve the diplomatic infrastructure — not to stop the fighting.