View source for Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces

{{short description|Head of the armed forces of Lebanon}}
{{Missing information|article|its history|date=March 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Commander
| body = the [[Lebanese Armed Forces]]
| native_name = {{lang|ar|قائد الجيش اللبناني}}
| flag = Flag of the Lebanese Armed Forces (Front).svg
| flagsize = 
| flagborder = yes
| flagcaption = Flag of the Lebanese Armed Forces
| insignia = Emblema de las Fuerzas Armadas Libanesas.svg
| insigniasize = 
| insigniacaption = Emblem of the Lebanese Armed Forces
| image = 
| imagesize = 
| alt = 
| incumbent = [[Rodolph Haykal]]
| acting = No
| incumbentsince = 13 March 2025
| type = 
| status = 
| department = [[Ministry of National Defense (Lebanon)|Ministry of Defense]]
| style = 
| member_of = 
| reports_to = [[Ministry of National Defense (Lebanon)|Minister of Defense]]
| residence = 
| seat = [[Yarze]]
| nominator = 
| appointer = [[President of Lebanon]]
| appointer_qualified = 
| termlength = 
| termlength_qualified = 
| constituting_instrument = 
| precursor = 
| formation = 1 August 1945
| first = [[Fouad Chehab]]
| last = 
| abolished = 
| succession = 
| abbreviation = 
| unofficial_names = 
| deputy = 
| salary = 
| website = 
}}

The '''Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces''' ({{langx|ar|قائد الجيش اللبناني|qāʔid al-jayš al-lubnāniyy}}) is responsible for the operational command of the [[Lebanese Armed Forces]] (LAF). According to the [[Constitution of Lebanon|Constitution]], the [[President of Lebanon]] is the [[commander-in-chief]]. The commander always holds the [[General (Lebanon and Syria)|General]] rank. The commander must always be a [[Lebanese Maronite Christians|Maronite Christian]] according to the [[National Pact]].

== Appointment ==
The Army Commander is appointed by general grade officers who have not yet been placed in the reserve with a decree issued from the cabinet based on the proposal of the [[Ministry of National Defense (Lebanon)|Minister of National Defense]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=قيادة الجيش {{!}} الموقع الرسمي للجيش اللبناني |url=https://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/ar/content/%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%B4 |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=www.lebarmy.gov.lb}}</ref>

== Responsibilities ==
The responsibilities of the Commander of the Lebanese Forces include:<ref name=":0" />

* Organizing and managing units and bureaus and specifying their mission
* Performing operations of employment and on the alert operations when they are decided
* Implementing preparedness and mobilization operations when announced.
* Determining the need of the Army and maintaining the state of equipment and supplies upon their delivery from the General Administration
* Commanding military operations

==List of officeholders==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}
! rowspan="2" | Portrait
! rowspan="2" | Name<br />{{small|(Birth–Death)}}
! colspan="3" | Term of office
! rowspan="2" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Refences}}
|-
! Took office
! Left office
! Time in office
|-
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 1
| image             = Fouad Chehab Army Commander.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Major General]]
| officeholder      = [[Fouad Chehab]]
| officeholder_sort = Chehab, Fouad
| born_year         = 1902
| died_year         = 1973
| term_start        = 1 August 1945
| term_end          = 22 September 1958
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1945|08|01|1958|09|22}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders">{{cite web|url=http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/English/Commanders.asp|title=Armed Forces Commanders|publisher=Lebanese Armed Forces|access-date=November 12, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125230714/http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/English/Commanders.asp|archive-date=January 25, 2009}}</ref>
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 2
| image             =
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = {{ill|Toufic Salem|ar|توفيق سالم}}
| officeholder_sort = Salem, Toufic
| born_year         = 1904
| died_year         = 1978
| term_start        = 9 October 1958
| term_end          = 31 January 1959
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1958|10|09|1959|01|31}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 3
| image             =
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = {{ill|Adel Shehab|ar|عادل شهاب}}
| officeholder_sort = Shehab, Adel
| born_year         = 1903
| died_year         = 1980
| term_start        = 1 February 1959
| term_end          = 30 June 1965
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1959|02|01|1965|06|30}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 4
| image             =
| military_rank     = [[General]]
| officeholder      = [[Emile Boustany]]
| officeholder_sort = Boustany, Emile
| born_year         = 1909
| died_year         = 2002
| term_start        = 1 July 1965
| term_end          = 6 January 1970
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1965|07|01|1970|01|06}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 5
| image             =
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Jean Njeim]]
| officeholder_sort = Njeim, Jean
| born_year         = 1915
| died_year         = 1971
| term_start        = 7 January 1970
| term_end          = 24 July 1971
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1970|01|07|1971|07|24}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 6
| image             =
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Iskandar Ghanem]]
| officeholder_sort = Ghanem, Iskandar
| born_year         = 1911
| died_year         = 2005
| term_start        = 25 July 1971
| term_end          = 9 September 1975
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1971|07|25|1975|09|09}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 7
| image             =
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Hanna Saïd]]
| officeholder_sort = Saïd, Hanna
| born_year         = 1923
| died_year         = 1998
| term_start        = 10 September 1975
| term_end          = 27 March 1977
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1975|09|10|1977|03|27}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 8
| image             =
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Victor Khoury]]
| officeholder_sort = Khoury, Victor
| born_year         = 1929
| died_year         = 2017
| term_start        = 28 March 1977
| term_end          = 7 December 1982
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1977|03|28|1982|12|07}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 9
| image             =
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Ibrahim Tannous]]
| officeholder_sort = Tannous, Ibrahim
| born_year         = 1929
| died_year         = 2012
| term_start        = 8 December 1982
| term_end          = 22 June 1984
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1982|12|08|1984|06|22}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 10
| image             = Michel Aoun - 1988.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Michel Aoun]]
| officeholder_sort = Aoun, Michel
| born_year         = 1933
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 23 June 1984
| term_end          = 27 November 1989
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1984|06|23|1989|11|27}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 11
| image             = Emile Lahoud CPS.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Émile Lahoud]]
| officeholder_sort = Lahoud, Émile
| born_year         = 1936
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 28 November 1989
| term_end          = 23 November 1998
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1989|11|28|1998|11|23}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 12
| image             = Michel Suleiman 2012 (cropped).jpeg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Michel Suleiman]]
| officeholder_sort = Suleiman, Michel
| born_year         = 1948
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 21 December 1998
| term_end          = 30 August 2008
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1998|12|21|2008|08|30}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 13
| image             = Foreign Secretary William Hague meeting the head of the Lebanese Army Jean Kahwaji (cropped).jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Jean Kahwaji]]
| officeholder_sort = Kahwaji, Jean
| born_year         = 1953
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 30 August 2008
| term_end          = 8 March 2017
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2008|08|30|2017|03|08}}
| ref               = <ref name="Commanders" />
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 14
| image             = Gen. Joseph K. Aoun Participates in a Wreath-Laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (cropped).jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Joseph Aoun]]
| officeholder_sort = Aoun, Joseph
| born_year         = 1964
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 8 March 2017
| term_end          = 9 January 2025
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2017|03|08|2025|01|09}}
| ref               = <ref>{{cite news |last1=Rammal |first1=Mohamad |title=Joseph Aoun: Lebanon's fifth army general-turned-president |url=https://en.majalla.com/node/323847/profiles/joseph-aoun-lebanons-fifth-army-general-turned-president |access-date=9 February 2025 |work=Al Majalla |date=12 January 2025}}</ref>
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = –
| image             =
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Hassan Audi]]
| officeholder_sort = Audi, Hassan
| born_year         = 1968
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 9 January 2025
| term_end          = 13 March 2025
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2025|01|09|2025|03|13}}
| acting            = y
| ref               = <ref>{{cite news |title=Defense Minister appoints Major General Hassan Audi to temporarily lead Lebanon's army |url=https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/lebanon-news/829585/defense-minister-appoints-major-general-hassan-audi-to-temporarily-lea/en |access-date=9 February 2025 |work=LBCI Lebanon |date=9 January 2025}}</ref>
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 15
| image             =
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Rodolph Haykal]]
| officeholder_sort = Haykal, Rodolph
| born_year         = 1969
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 13 March 2025
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2025|03|13}}
| ref               = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Who is the new Army Commander General Rodolph Haykal? |url=https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/lebanon-news/843110/who-is-the-new-army-commander-general-rodolph-haykal/en |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=LBCIV7 |language=en}}</ref>
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

===Timeline===
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:12
PlotArea  = top:10 bottom:50 right:100 left:20
AlignBars = late

Define $now = {{#time:Y}}

DateFormat = yyyy
Period     = from:1945 till:$now
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1945
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1945

BarData =
  barset:PM

PlotData =
  width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
  barset:PM

 from: 1945 till: 1958 color:red text:"[[Fouad Chehab|Chehab]]" fontsize:10
 from: 1958 till: 1959 color:red text:"[[Toufic Salem|Salem]]" fontsize:10
 from: 1959 till: 1965 color:red text:"[[Adel Shehab|Shehab]]" fontsize:10
 from: 1965 till: 1970 color:red text:"[[Emile Boustany|Boustany]]" fontsize:10
 from: 1970 till: 1971 color:red text:"[[Jean Njeim|Njeim]]" fontsize:10
 from: 1971 till: 1975 color:red text:"[[Iskandar Ghanem|Ghanem]]" fontsize:10
 from: 1975 till: 1977 color:red text:"[[Hanna Saïd|Saïd]]" fontsize:10
 from: 1977 till: 1982 color:red text:"[[Victor Khoury|Khoury]]" fontsize:10
 from: 1982 till: 1984 color:red text:"[[Ibrahim Tannous|Tannous]]" fontsize:10
 from: 1984 till: 1989 color:red text:"[[Michel Aoun|M. Aoun]]" fontsize:10
 from: 1989 till: 1998 color:red text:"[[Émile Lahoud|Lahoud]]" fontsize:10
 from: 1998 till: 2008 color:red text:"[[Michel Suleiman|Suleiman]]" fontsize:10
 from: 2008 till: 2017 color:red text:"[[Jean Kahwaji|Kahwaji]]" fontsize:10
 from: 2017 till: 2025 color:red text:"[[Joseph Aoun|J. Aoun]]" fontsize:10
 from: 2025 till: 2025 color:red text:"[[Hassan Audi|Audi]] (acting)" fontsize:10
 from: 2025 till: $now color:red text:"[[Rodolph Haykal|Haykal]]" fontsize:10

}}

==See also==
* [[Lebanese Armed Forces]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Commanders of the Lebanese Armed Forces}}
{{Lebanese Armed Forces}}
{{Chief of military by country}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces}}
[[Category:Chiefs of defence|Lebanon]]
[[Category:Commanders in chief]]
[[Category:Lebanese generals]]
[[Category:Long stubs with short prose]]

{{Lebanon-poli-stub}}
{{Mil-rank-stub}}