Israel Begins Withdrawal From Pilot Areas in Southern Lebanon Under US-Backed Agreement

The United States announced on Monday the commencement of Israel's withdrawal from three pilot villages in southern Lebanon as part of a trilateral agreement framework. The pilot areas include the villages of Farran, Sarifa, and Zaathar al-Gharbiya. This development marks a significant milestone in implementing the understandings reached between Israel and Lebanon during talks held last week in Rome.

According to a statement by US State Department spokesperson Tommy Vietor, the pilot phase is the first step in executing the trilateral plan signed last month. Under this agreement, the Lebanese army will assume full security responsibility in the designated areas after verifying the dismantling of armed groups not under state control. Concurrently, the process facilitates a gradual withdrawal of Israeli Defense Forces from southern Lebanon, contingent on meeting established security conditions.

The Rome discussions finalized the structure and principles for operating the pilot zones, after which technical teams began implementing the plan. The US described this progress as a direct outcome of the recent diplomatic engagement between the two countries, conducted under the auspices of the military coordination group for Lebanon.