Lebanese Army Begins Entering Areas as IDF Starts Partial Withdrawal from South Lebanon

A day after the United States announced the start of a pilot program for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) withdrawal from southern Lebanon, a senior Lebanese security official told Reuters on Tuesday that Lebanese army forces have begun entering the areas vacated by the IDF. The US State Department statement yesterday confirmed that following last week's Israel-Lebanon talks in Rome, the pilot withdrawal is underway in three southern Lebanese villages: Farran, Sarifa, and Zotar al-Arabiya.

The US emphasized that this milestone results directly from the recent discussions and pledged continued close cooperation with both Israel and Lebanon to successfully implement the framework agreement. The IDF stated that under political guidance, the regional "Safe Zone" pilot in southern Lebanon has commenced with cooperation from the US and Lebanese armies. Coordination and planning among the IDF, US, and Lebanese forces are ongoing to implement the agreement, with the IDF prepared to respond forcefully to any violations.

The IDF is repositioning its forces within the pilot area to enable the Lebanese army to carry out its mission, which is seen as a sovereignty test for Lebanon’s military as the sole authorized armed force in the region. The pilot will be closely monitored by a US-led oversight mechanism, aiming to disarm Hezbollah in these areas.

According to the framework agreement signed on June 26, the plan includes deploying the Lebanese army in the south, disarming Hezbollah, and gradually withdrawing IDF troops. Lebanese security sources warned that President Aoun has accepted demands they consider untenable, potentially leading to civil conflict with Hezbollah. About ten days ago, the parties moved to the implementation phase.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Hezbollah has lost most of its missile stockpile but Iran continues to fund it, asserting that peace between Israel and Lebanon depends on Hezbollah’s disarmament. He also criticized Hamas for refusing to disarm and warned against allowing it to evade commitments and continue terrorist attacks. IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said the responsibility now lies with the Lebanese army to fulfill its obligations and clear Hezbollah militants and infrastructure, while the IDF remains ready to act decisively to neutralize threats and respond swiftly if the ceasefire is violated.