In a key step of the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, the US announced on Monday the launch of pilot zones in southern Lebanon intended to transfer control of the area to the Lebanese military.
The State Department named three towns near the so-called “Yellow Line,” the boundary for the territory Israel occupies in southern Lebanon. Only one had been occupied by Israeli forces; the other two had come under Israeli attack during the war. Under the US-brokered ceasefire agreement, Israel is supposed to withdraw its military forces from these zones and allow the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to enter.
The zones are supposed to be clear of Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy whose base of power is in southern Lebanon. Israel has vowed it will not fully withdraw from the area until Hezbollah is disarmed and pushed back from the border.
Pictures of southern Lebanon shared with CNN last week show the LAF patrolling several southern villages along the border, including some previously occupied by Israeli forces, like Bint Jbeil, and others that have seen heavy Israeli bombardment, like Nabatiyeh. CNN has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment.
The announcement comes one day before Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is set to visit the White House and meet President Donald Trump. Aoun will be the first Lebanese president to visit the White House since 2009.
On Sunday, Aoun met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “The United States remains committed to supporting this effort and Lebanon’s efforts to deliver security, peace and a better future for the Lebanese people,” Rubio said in a statement after the meeting.
-CNN
The State Department named three towns near the so-called “Yellow Line,” the boundary for the territory Israel occupies in southern Lebanon. Only one had been occupied by Israeli forces; the other two had come under Israeli attack during the war. Under the US-brokered ceasefire agreement, Israel is supposed to withdraw its military forces from these zones and allow the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to enter.
The zones are supposed to be clear of Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy whose base of power is in southern Lebanon. Israel has vowed it will not fully withdraw from the area until Hezbollah is disarmed and pushed back from the border.
Pictures of southern Lebanon shared with CNN last week show the LAF patrolling several southern villages along the border, including some previously occupied by Israeli forces, like Bint Jbeil, and others that have seen heavy Israeli bombardment, like Nabatiyeh. CNN has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment.
The announcement comes one day before Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is set to visit the White House and meet President Donald Trump. Aoun will be the first Lebanese president to visit the White House since 2009.
On Sunday, Aoun met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “The United States remains committed to supporting this effort and Lebanon’s efforts to deliver security, peace and a better future for the Lebanese people,” Rubio said in a statement after the meeting.
-CNN
