IDF Plans to Reduce Forces in South Lebanon Ahead of Pilot Talks

The Israel Defense Forces are preparing to gradually reduce their ground presence in southern Lebanon in the coming period, as most of their offensive missions there are seen as complete. The move follows an assessment in Israel’s security establishment that there is no longer a need to keep the current troop level inside the buffer zone.

According to a report by Kan News, another major factor is a formal meeting scheduled for this week between Israeli and Lebanese negotiating teams. In that meeting, the sides are expected to map out the exact areas for a pilot program in southern Lebanon.

Those areas are meant to be declared free of Hezbollah members, with the Lebanese Army taking operational responsibility. The goal is to test whether Lebanese forces can prevent Hezbollah from returning and reestablishing control over the area.

At the same time, the American administration is pressuring for the IDF to return to the anti-tank line, also known as the "yellow line." That line is about 8 kilometers from the international border and is intended to provide direct protection from guided missile fire against northern Israeli border communities.