U.S. State Department Launches Pilot Zone Operations in Southern Lebanon
The U.S. State Department announced on Monday that pilot zone operations
have commenced in the southern Lebanese villages of Froun, Srifa, and Zawtar Al-Gharbiya. According to State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, the operations are being conducted under the Trilateral Framework and the auspices of the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon, serving as a milestone following discussions held last week in Rome between Israeli and Lebanese representatives.
Trilateral Framework Mandates Lebanese Armed Forces Deployment in Hezbollah-Dominated Areas
The initiative is part of a June framework agreement intended to test a phased Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the subsequent deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Under the plan, the Lebanese military is tasked with securing these zones, conducting clearance operations, and removing non-state armed group infrastructure. A U.S. official stated that the zones are intended to help the Lebanese state reassert control in areas historically dominated by Hezbollah.
For more on this story, see US Launches Tenth Night of Airstrikes on Iran After 17 Soldiers Die.
Israeli Military Coordinates Withdrawal from Zawtar Al-Gharbiya Buffer Zone
The status of the villages varies as the implementation begins. In Zawtar Al-Gharbiya, which lies within Israel’s “Yellow Line” buffer zone, Israeli forces remained on the outskirts.
President Joseph Aoun Travels to Washington for Talks with Donald Trump
The development coincides with a high-profile visit to Washington by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. President Aoun is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday to discuss the implementation of the framework, including proposals regarding the disarmament of Hezbollah and the continued withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
While the U.S. views the pilot zones as progress, skepticism remains regarding the broader security environment. Former State Department official Jennifer Gavito told aljazeera.com that she finds it difficult to imagine a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and suggested the zones might create an environment for Hezbollah to continue its armed resistance.
This follows our earlier report, U.S. Soldiers Killed in Jordan and Iraq as Military Strikes Intensify.
Sources: al-monitor.com.
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