Lebanese president Joseph Aoun (R) , poses for a picture with the newly appointed Lebanese army chief Gen. Rudolph Haikal, at the presidential place in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon. AP
"Brigadier General Rodolphe Haikal was named commander in chief of the armed forces," Minister of Information Paul Morcos said after a cabinet meeting, confirming several other security appointments.
Haikal, 56, was made the army's chief of operations last June, having previously served as the commander of the army sector south of the Litani River, according to the army's website.
That area bore the brunt of Israeli strikes during more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah that ended with a November 27 ceasefire.
A security source told AFP that Haikal is expected to play a key role in implementing the ceasefire agreement. The source added that he was Aoun's favoured candidate for the post.
According to multi-confessional Lebanon's power-sharing system, the army chief must be a Maronite Christian.
The November ceasefire required Hezbollah to withdraw north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border, and to dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.
Israel was meant to withdraw completely from Lebanese territory by February 18, but it has kept troops at five locations it deems strategic.
Hezbollah did not object to Haikal's nomination, the source said.
Morcos also announced on Thursday the appointment of the heads of the internal security, general security, and state security apparatuses.
He also announced the approval of the defence ministry's request to recruit 4,500 soldiers to reinforce troops in the south. The army is deploying alongside UN peacekeepers as part of the ceasefire agreement.
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