Italy will host a new round of U.S.-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon on August 4, 2026.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced before Parliament on Wednesday: "We will host another dialogue session [between Lebanon and Israel] on August 4." This comes following a round of talks between delegations from both countries in Rome last week, which yielded concrete progress in defining initial pilot zones, according to AFP.
اضافة اعلان
Lebanese Army forces began deploying in the southern Lebanese town of Zawtar Al Gharbiya on Tuesday following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area, pursuant to a U.S.-brokered plan.
The plan stipulates that the Lebanese Army confiscate Hezbollah weapons in parts of southern Lebanon, accompanied by a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces.
The Lebanese Army later stated that Israeli forces opened fire near its units during the deployment, warning that the incident could impede the implementation of ongoing measures.
The Israeli military stated that its forces fired warning shots into the air after Lebanese Army personnel accompanied by an engineering vehicle crossed approximately 150 meters into what the IDF describes as a security zone near the adjacent town of Zawtar Al Sharqiya, bypassing barriers.
The Israeli military added that the area is not part of the pilot zones, noting that the Lebanese personnel withdrew with no injuries reported.
Tuesday's territorial handover marks the first test of a plan that Lebanon hopes will enable it to regain control over a strip of land extending roughly 10 kilometers inside the country, which remains under Israeli occupation.
Dozens of villages in that area have been leveled, and public infrastructure—including hospitals, power generation plants, and water stations—has been destroyed. Tens of thousands of Lebanese residents from the area have been unable to return.
The latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah broke out in early March, two days after the United States and Israel launched the war on Iran. Hezbollah stated that its actions were taken in support of Tehran.
The Lebanese Army stated that its units began deploying in Zawtar Al Gharbiya in the Nabatieh Governorate on Tuesday.
The Army renewed its call for residents not to enter the town until the security situation stabilizes and to adhere to instructions issued by military units deployed there for their safety.
An Israeli military official stated: "These pilot zones represent a test of the Lebanese Armed Forces' sovereignty in the three pilot villages, as the sole official authority empowered to bear arms in the area."
Israeli officials expressed skepticism regarding Lebanon's ability to disarm Hezbollah; however, Israel views the agreement reached last month as a crucial step toward building long-term peace with Lebanon.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday.
