Israel Readies Partial Withdrawal from South Lebanon under US‑Backed Deal

Israel is preparing to hand over two limited "pilot" zones in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese Armed Forces as part of a U.S.-mediated framework agreement. The areas, located in the Nabatieh region near Frun and Zawtar al‑Sharqiyah, will be tested for Lebanese army control and Hezbollah disarmament before any broader Israeli pull‑out. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces will remain in the security zone until Hezbollah’s underground tunnel network is neutralised and the Lebanese army is ready to assume responsibility.

The United States is overseeing the process, while France has welcomed the plan. Hezbollah and its allies have rejected the framework, calling it a surrender. At the same time, Netanyahu claimed that some Christian villages in Lebanon wish to join Israel for protection against Hezbollah, a statement that was promptly denied by local leaders who affirmed their loyalty to Lebanon. These competing narratives underscore the heightened tension along the Israel‑Lebanon border.