Lebanon's army says its troops have begun deploying to a "pilot zone" in the south of the country after Israeli forces withdrew under a US-brokered agreement reached last month. The army said units entered the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in Nabatieh district on Tuesday morning, while the plan also covers nearby Froun and Srifa.
What has changed in southern Lebanon?
The deployment follows Monday night's confirmation by Israel's military that the pilot zone plan had started. The arrangement is intended to see Israeli troops withdraw from a small part of territory occupied during the conflict with Hezbollah and to move ahead with the disarmament of the Iran-backed group.
The US state department announced on Monday afternoon that
"pilot zone operations"had begun in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh and the two other Lebanese villages, Froun and Srifa, in line with the Trilateral Framework agreement between Israel, Lebanon and the US. It said the
"milestone"was the direct result of discussions last week between Israeli and Lebanese representatives in Rome.
Why is the timing significant?
The move comes ahead of a meeting in Washington between US President Donald Trump and his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun. Aoun is expected to urge Trump to pressure Israel to withdraw from the rest of southern Lebanon and to provide support to the Lebanese army so it can take full control of areas where Hezbollah holds sway.
How are Israeli forces responding?
Later on Monday, an Israeli military official said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would
"adjust its force posture in one of the pilot areas"to allow the Lebanese army to carry out its mission, while also
"safeguarding the security of IDF soldiers and preserving its right to self-defence and to remove threats". The official said,
"The objective of the pilot and the agreement is the disarmament of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation and the removal of its illegal weapons".
The same official reiterated that the IDF would remain in the
"security zone"- the 10km (six-mile) deep strip of occupied Lebanese territory running along the border - for
"as long as necessary"to defend northern Israeli communities.
What did the Lebanese army say on Tuesday?
On Tuesday, the Lebanese army's command said its units had begun deploying to Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh
"based on ongoing communications with the Military Co-ordination Group for Lebanon", referring to the trilateral body created to support implementation of the framework.
The statement also called on Lebanese citizens
"not to head to the village until the security situation stabilises, and to comply with the instructions of the deployed military units for their own safety". The Lebanese army said its troops were already carrying out missions in nearby Froun and Srifa following Monday's US announcement.
An Israeli source also told the Haaretz newspaper that there were no Israeli troops in those villages.
How did the wider conflict develop?
Lebanon was drawn into the war between Israel, the US and Iran on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for a strike that killed Iran's supreme leader. Israel responded by launching a bombing campaign across Lebanon and invading a significant part of the country's south.
More than 4,300 people have been killed in Lebanon, including almost 800 children, women and medics, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Israeli authorities say 37 Israeli soldiers and four civilians have been killed on both sides of the border during the conflict.
Key Facts
- Lebanon's army says troops have begun deploying to Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in Nabatieh district on Tuesday morning.
- The US state department said pilot zone operations also began in Froun and Srifa under the Trilateral Framework agreement.
- Israel said its forces would adjust their posture in one pilot area but remain in the 10km security zone for as long as necessary.
- More than 4,300 people have been killed in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
- Israeli authorities say 37 Israeli soldiers and four civilians have been killed during the conflict.
