US President Trump Meets Lebanese President Aoun Amid Israeli Withdrawal from Southern Lebanon

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun at the White House in Washington. Aoun arrived in the United States two days prior to discuss key issues, primarily the ongoing Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. A Lebanese diplomatic source told the Lebanese newspaper Al-Joumhouria that the Israeli pullback would be the main topic of the Lebanese-American summit.

Aoun is expected to seek a clear commitment from Trump that the implementation of the withdrawal agreement will not be halted in any pilot areas, emphasizing that the launch of these "pilot zones" marks the beginning of a full Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territory. The Lebanese president also plans to stress the need for a clear sequence of withdrawals without repeatedly returning to political negotiations.

Official Lebanese sources indicated that Aoun will clarify that Hezbollah's disarmament is a Lebanese decision rather than an Israeli demand tied to the return of Lebanese land. Another key agenda item is redefining Lebanon’s regional role, with Aoun proposing Lebanon as a sovereign state capable of protecting its borders, open to its Arab neighbors, and ready to build new relationships based on investments, trade, transportation, and reconstruction, beyond just crisis management and security aid.

This meeting follows the Israeli Defense Forces’ announcement of the start of their withdrawal from the "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon, specifically the villages of Farran, Sarifa, and Zotar al-Arab. This move aligns with the framework agreement between Israel, Lebanon, and the US. These villages will serve as a "sovereignty test" for the Lebanese army, which will be the sole authorized armed force in the area. Should Hezbollah violate the agreement, the IDF will act through a US-mediated coordination cell. The IDF also retains the right to respond to threats against its forces in the security zone as defined in the framework agreement.

A planned discussion on the withdrawal was postponed, and while the IDF prepares to complete its pullback, concerns remain in Israel about Lebanon’s ability to manage Hezbollah’s presence effectively.