Lebanon, Israel to hold military talks on pilot withdrawal zones in south
US-backed negotiations aim to finalize areas for Israeli withdrawal and expand Lebanese Army deployment under phased ceasefire implementation
BEIRUT, Lebanon (MNTV) — Lebanese and Israeli military officials are scheduled to hold virtual talks on Friday under U.S. sponsorship to finalize pilot zones for an Israeli military withdrawal from southern Lebanon and agree on a timetable for deploying the Lebanese Army into those areas.
The discussions follow the latest round of indirect Lebanese-Israeli negotiations held in Rome on Wednesday, where officials focused on implementing a framework agreement reached on June 26 to support the ceasefire process.
A Lebanese military source told Arab News that reports identifying the proposed pilot zones were inaccurate, explaining that the purpose of the initiative is for Israeli forces to withdraw from territory they currently occupy so Lebanese troops can assume control, maintain security and ensure that weapons remain under state authority.
According to the source, the Lebanese Army has reinforced its presence near the so-called “Blue Line” and around areas under consideration for the pilot phase.
Troops have carried out patrols, established checkpoints, cleared unexploded ordnance and detained armed individuals as part of preparations for the planned deployment.
A source familiar with the Rome negotiations said diplomatic efforts had cleared the way for military officials to finalize the first phase of the plan, with implementation expected in the coming days.
The source added that the phased approach is intended to test the withdrawal mechanism before expanding it to additional areas while assessing Israel’s commitment to the agreement.
The U.S. State Department described the Rome talks as productive, saying both sides had agreed on the structure and guidelines for the pilot zone process, with final arrangements expected soon.
According to an Israeli official quoted by Yedioth Ahronoth, a third party will oversee implementation of the pilot plan, although the monitoring body will not be the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) or the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces reportedly set fire to homes and agricultural land near Beit Yahoun in southern Lebanon after overnight airstrikes targeted the area and the nearby town of Baraashit. Local reports said three civilians were killed in one of the strikes.
Separately, the Lebanese Army continued security operations for a second consecutive day in the Beddawi Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon after taking control of offices belonging to the Fatah al-Intifada movement.
Military officials said the operation is part of the government’s broader effort to place all weapons under state control and is unrelated to developments in southern Lebanon.
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