Trump Hosts Lebanese President to Advance Israel-Lebanon Security Agreement Talks

The White House is preparing for a critical meeting on Tuesday evening between U.S. President Donald Trump and Lebanese President Michel Aoun, amid ongoing efforts to implement a security agreement involving Israel, Lebanon, and the United States. This meeting coincides with the launch of a pilot phase in southern Lebanon, designed to test whether the agreements on paper can be realized on the ground.

Israeli officials expressed confidence that Trump will use the meeting to encourage Aoun to take a further unprecedented step: a trilateral meeting including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A senior Israeli source told Walla that Israel has fulfilled its part by initiating the pilot, and now it remains to see if Lebanon can enforce its sovereignty in the south.

The pilot plan involves a phased Israeli withdrawal from designated areas, with the Lebanese army replacing Israeli forces, locating and removing Hezbollah weapons and infrastructure, and assuming full security responsibility. While the Israeli Defense Forces have begun implementing the pilot, Jerusalem doubts the Lebanese army's ability to dismantle Hezbollah's presence long-term.

Politically, a public meeting between Aoun and Netanyahu is highly sensitive in Lebanon, where fears of internal unrest and destabilization persist due to Hezbollah's significant military power and the legacy of civil war. Although Aoun has agreed to direct professional-level talks with Israel, he has yet to accept Trump's proposal for a personal meeting with Netanyahu.

During the meeting, Aoun is expected to request continued U.S. pressure on Israel to proceed with withdrawals and ongoing American support for the Lebanese army. Washington, in turn, seeks a detailed, measurable plan from Lebanon to control all weapons in the country, especially Hezbollah's arsenal, including timelines and monitoring mechanisms to prevent Hezbollah's return to vacated areas.

For Israel, the key issue is not negotiating new agreements but ensuring the implementation of existing ones. The pilot's success will determine whether the Lebanese army can enforce state authority and prevent Hezbollah's resurgence, potentially paving the way for a broader political breakthrough between Jerusalem and Beirut. The Trump-Aoun meeting could thus become a decisive moment in the trilateral process and regional stability.