A US military delegation has met with Lebanon’s army in Beirut to discuss the implementation of Israel’s withdrawal from one of the so-called “pilot zones” it occupies, a Lebanese military official told AFP.
Under a framework agreement reached on 26 June, Israel will gradually withdraw from areas of southern Lebanon it has occupied for several months.
As part of the agreement, the Lebanese military will take full control of two small areas dubbed pilot zones.
“The American military delegation arrived and began meetings with the Lebanese army command to discuss the mechanisms for implementing the first pilot zone from which the Israelis will withdraw, allowing the Lebanese army to deploy,” the unnamed official said.
“This is the main objective the American military delegation is bringing to Lebanon… it is the translation and implementation of the framework agreement.”
In Washington, a US official said that “we have moved to the implementation stage of the framework”.
“The first pilot zone will launch in a matter of days, and further pilot zones are being mapped out and planned,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
US Central Command will coordinate on the zones with both countries, he said.
The agreement – which was rejected by Hezbollah – does not set a timetable for Israel’s withdrawal, and Israeli officials have vowed that their forces will remain in a “security zone” 10 kilometres deep as long as Hezbollah remains armed.
Israel has continuously struck Lebanon despite the truce agreed with Hezbollah, with Lebanon’s state-run national News Agency reporting several strikes in the south on Saturday.
The latest round of talks between Lebanon and Israel will take place in Rome next Wednesday and Thursday.
Lebanon conditions its participation in the talks on Israel withdrawing from two pilot zones.
The talks precede Aoun’s expected visit to Washington later this month at the invitation of Donald Trump.
Reporting by AFP
