The Financial Times reported Saturday evening that a US military delegation has arrived in Lebanon to help implement the agreement and try to bring an end to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah—amid growing concerns in Beirut that the deal is stalled.
1+According to the report, two senior Lebanese officials said a delegation from US Central Command (Centcom) arrived Friday ahead of talks between Lebanon and Israel in Rome next week, where technical teams are expected to discuss details of the framework agreement signed on June 26.
The paper claims that as part of the deal, Israeli forces will withdraw from two “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon—which will then be transferred to the Lebanese army’s control. The report states that after completing the initial steps, all Israeli forces will pull back and exit the security zone they have controlled for nearly two years.
1+The agreement also outlines a path for the Lebanese army to eventually become the sole authority in the southern part of the country, contingent on the disarmament of all terror organizations including Hezbollah—which rejects any attempt to disarm it. The paper added that Israeli sources have made clear that Israeli forces will remain in the security zone as long as Hezbollah remains armed.
As mentioned, talks between Israel and Lebanon are expected to resume next week in Rome. A Lebanese official told Al Jazeera that Beirut will participate in the direct round of negotiations with Israel in Rome at the diplomatic level only—without military representation. He added that the Lebanese army has informed the visiting US military delegation in Beirut of its readiness to deploy in any area that IDF forces withdraw from.