In brief
A U.S.‑mediated agreement saw Israel start withdrawing its forces from a small part of southern Lebanon, prompting the Lebanese army to deploy troops into the newly designated pilot zone. The first units entered the village of Zawtar al‑Gharbiyeh on Tuesday, marking a concrete step toward restoring Lebanese control. Washington is hosting a meeting between President Donald Trump and Lebanese Defence Minister Joseph Aoun, who urges Israel to withdraw from the remainder of the south and to support the army’s re‑take of Hezbollah‑controlled areas. The conflict, sparked by Hezbollah rockets in March, has already claimed over 4,300 Lebanese lives, including civilians, and has seen Israeli casualties on both sides.
Lebanese troops are moving into a newly created pilot zone in the south of the country as Israeli forces pull back from the region. This step follows a U.S.-brokered agreement that has been in play since last month, marking a major shift in the ground realities of Lebanon’s southern border.
On Tuesday morning, units of the Lebanese army entered the village of Zawtar al‑Gharbiyeh in the Nabatieh district, the first move of the army into the zone designated for the pilot project. The arrival of the troops came after Israeli forces confirmed last night that they were beginning a scaled‑down withdrawal from a small area they had occupied during their conflict with Hezbollah.
Washington is set to host a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Lebanese Defence Minister Joseph Aoun. Aoun is expected to press for a complete Israeli pull‑out of southern Lebanon and for increased support to the Lebanese army to regain control over areas dominated by the Iran‑backed group Hezbollah.
The conflict that escalated in March when Hezbollah fired rockets in response to an Iranian strike that killed the country's supreme leader has all but devastated the region. Over 4,300 Lebanese have been killed, including nearly 800 civilians, while 37 Israeli soldiers and four civilians have lost their lives in the fighting.
