Lebanese army begins pilot‑zone takeover in southern Lebanon

The United States‑brokered trilateral framework signed on 26 June 2026 by Lebanon, Israel and the United States established three “pilot zones” in the southern villages of Froun, Srifa and Zawtar al‑Gharbiya. On 20 July the Lebanese Armed Forces entered the areas, taking sole security responsibility, inspecting for Hezbollah weapons and infrastructure, and beginning the phased Israeli withdrawal agreed in the framework.

The U.S. State Department described the move as a “direct outcome” of recent talks in Rome between Israeli and Lebanese delegations and said Washington will continue to work with both sides to implement the agreement. Israel has confirmed the pilot programme is under way but says it will retain a security zone until Hezbollah is fully disarmed. Hezbollah has rejected the framework, demanding a conditional Israeli pull‑back linked to broader U.S.‑Iran negotiations.

Displaced residents have started to return to the pilot‑zone villages, although some locals dispute that the towns were ever occupied by Israeli forces. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met U.S. officials in Washington and is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump, underscoring the high‑level diplomatic backing for the plan. The deployment marks the first field test of the agreement, with its success seen as critical to restoring Lebanese sovereignty over a 10‑km‑deep strip of its southern territory.