Lebanese Army Deploys in First Pilot Zone as Israel Prepares Withdrawal from Second

The implementation of the principles agreement between Israel and Lebanon has begun with the Lebanese army deploying in the first pilot zone north of the security zone established by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). This initial pilot area is located near the Shiite villages of Faroun and Randouriya in the Bint Jbeil region of southern Lebanon, an area where the IDF had not previously been present. Meanwhile, the IDF is preparing to withdraw from the second pilot zone, where Israeli forces are currently stationed.

The official announcement marking the start of the pilot is expected on the upcoming Sunday, ahead of the Lebanese president's visit to Washington later this week. The villages adjacent to the pilot zone lie in a strategic location north of the Blue Line, near Wadi al-Saluki and the Litani River, areas that were significant battlegrounds during the 2006 Lebanon War and ongoing conflicts.

The framework agreement stipulates that the Lebanese army will gradually assume full and effective security responsibility in pilot zones, which will serve as mechanisms for the phased redeployment of the IDF and Lebanese forces. The first two pilot zones have been agreed upon by both militaries, with additional zones to be determined by mutual consent.

During recent US-mediated talks in Rome, Italy proposed deploying troops to monitor the disarmament of the area from weapons and Hezbollah militants, with UNIFIL also suggested to oversee the process. However, both Israel and the United States strongly opposed these proposals. Israeli representatives emphasized that the IDF must verify the pilot withdrawal areas before the Lebanese army assumes control, while Lebanon wanted its army to be responsible for both the territory and the verification process.

Due to Israeli opposition, the idea of UNIFIL entering the withdrawal zones was initially rejected, followed by the Italian proposal, which is still under consideration by the parties involved.