The Lebanese Army began deploying in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiya in southern Lebanon on Tuesday morning, according to a military source, implementing the "pilot zones" initiative under the framework agreement reached with Israel—just hours before President Joseph Aoun meets with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump.
اضافة اعلان
"The army has begun deploying in Zawtar al-Gharbiya," said the source. The town, located in the Nabatieh Governorate, had been bordered by Israeli occupation forces that previously prevented residents from returning. The move came a day after the U.S. State Department announced the immediate implementation of pilot zones across three towns in the country's south.
The Lebanese President is meeting his U.S. counterpart in Washington amid mounting American pressure on Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah.
The visit comes a day after the United States, which is sponsoring negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, announced the start of implementation of a framework signed by both countries. Among its provisions is that the Lebanese Army extend its authority over "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon.
These zones lie adjacent to territories occupied by Israel in southern Lebanon, with Israeli occupation forces also stationed on the outskirts of one of the towns. Israeli soldiers have advanced into broad areas of southern Lebanon since the conflict erupted between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2.
The framework agreement also stipulates a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the south; however, Israel conditions its withdrawal on the disarmament of Hezbollah and states it will keep its forces for the time being in what it has designated a "security zone."
Washington is pressing Lebanese authorities to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters following his meeting with Aoun on Sunday: "As long as this problem persists, Lebanon will not truly enjoy peace."
In an earlier statement from the U.S. Department of State, Rubio praised "the courage of the Lebanese government (...) and its firm efforts to restore Lebanon's sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah, and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure."
