Israel Prepares for Limited Withdrawal from South Lebanon Amid U.S.-Brokered Talks

Israel opened a fifth round of indirect talks with Lebanon in Washington on Tuesday, mediated by the United States, while preparing for a partial withdrawal from southern Lebanon despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's public assurances that Israeli forces would keep full freedom of action. The discussions include a phased Israeli pullback from some areas where IDF troops are currently deployed, alongside a U.S. plan to train the Lebanese army so it can take over territory and ensure the forces there are Lebanese troops, not Hezbollah.

According to Israeli reporting, some of the areas Israel may vacate are south of the Yellow Line, where its forces are now positioned. A senior Israeli official told Channel 13 that Israel had recently captured territory for negotiating leverage, saying, “We conquered territory in recent days for the sake of negotiations, in order to withdraw from it,” and added that Israel would pull out of a small area in southern Lebanon, “a few percent of the territory.” He also said, “We need to let the U.S. try its pilot.”

The same reporting said U.S. restrictions on the IDF and the Israeli government have been tightening across several arenas. Political leaders have issued formal instructions to the military on what is and is not allowed in Lebanon, permitting freedom of action inside the Yellow Line and for thwarting immediate threats, but prohibiting operations in more distant areas around Beirut and Tyre. Another Israeli official said the message from Washington had been clear: “You had credit to act without restriction, and it is over.”

Netanyahu released a video on Monday insisting that his directive to the IDF had not changed, and that troops in southern Lebanon had “full freedom of action” to stop any direct or emerging threat to them or to residents of northern Israel. He said, “I stand behind them, the whole nation stands behind them,” and vowed to remain in the security buffer zone in southern Lebanon as long as necessary. The talks are also expected to cover a gradual Israeli withdrawal and deployment of the Lebanese army in those areas. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he would not compromise on an Israeli withdrawal and called the new round potentially decisive. A Lebanese TV report claimed the talks might include the return of the remains of captured navigator Ron Arad in exchange for Lebanese prisoners, but sources familiar with the negotiations denied that issue was being discussed.