A U.S. official told Reuters on Thursday that Israel had withdrawn from parts of southern Lebanon and was allowing the Lebanese army to deploy there, describing it as a goodwill gesture toward Lebanon’s government. The report said Israel was expected to keep pulling back from additional areas in southern Lebanon. Israeli senior security officials rejected that version outright, saying, "The IDF has not withdrawn from anywhere," and one official added that the army had received no instructions from the political leadership. The Lebanese army also denied that its forces had replaced Israeli troops.
The conflicting accounts prompted speculation that the report was meant to pressure Israel as U.S.-brokered talks with Lebanon continue. Negotiations were due to resume Thursday, with reports saying the discussions are taking place in Washington. According to another report by Moriah Assraf, no actual Israeli withdrawal has begun yet, but the sides are developing understandings that would see Israel pull back soon from small areas in southern Lebanon to let Lebanese army units enter as part of a pilot phase.
The broader talks in Washington are also focused on ways to dismantle Hezbollah. Under the emerging plan, the Lebanese army would be trained to confront Hezbollah, with the U.S. military training those forces. Israeli officials said the plan has Israeli backing. They also said that under American pressure, Israel would not attack the Dahieh area of Beirut as part of the arrangement.
At the same time, U.S. officials said there is no necessarily any restriction on military activity in southern Lebanon, and Israeli sources said the U.S. has approved an Israeli ground presence in southern Lebanon, in an expanded security zone the IDF currently holds. They said Israel would continue controlling most of the territory, and any withdrawal would be limited, gradual, and small-scale as a pilot to test whether the Lebanese army can replace Israeli forces.
