U.S. Proposes Pilot for Partial Israeli Withdrawal from Lebanon

The United States is promoting a pilot program aimed at weakening Hezbollah through the Lebanese Army, according to a report aired Friday on Kan News. Under the American-backed plan, the pilot zones would be in areas where IDF forces are currently deployed, which could lead to a partial withdrawal from parts of the security zone in southern Lebanon.

A new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is scheduled for next week, and sources said those discussions are expected to determine the pilot areas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel will remain in the security zone “as long as necessary,” but Israeli officials are already examining which positions could be vacated and where the American pilot could begin.

The report also said the IDF is concerned that even during a ceasefire with Hezbollah, troops stationed in Lebanon could continue to come under attack. A senior military source said, “The central question is not whether an agreement will be signed, but whether it will lead to a real change in the IDF’s instructions and Israel’s policy in Lebanon.”

He added that as long as Israeli forces remain in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah’s threat is not fully removed, soldiers may still be exposed to guerrilla attacks, explosive devices and drones, even under the label of a ceasefire.