US Launches Pilot Zone Operations in Southern Lebanon

The United States Department of State announced the start of pilot zone operations in the Lebanese villages of Froun, Srifa, and Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh on Sunday. These operations implement a June 26 trilateral framework agreement involving the United States, Israel, and Lebanon, which mandates a gradual Israeli military withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces to remove Hezbollah from the border area.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Washington to coordinate the transition. President Aoun requested that implementation begin with the first Israeli withdrawal and sought increased U.S. military support and economic investment in transportation, telecommunications, and energy. Rubio indicated the U.S. aims to assist Lebanon's economic recovery, including the potential restart of direct flights between the two nations.

While engaging in diplomacy, President Aoun explicitly rejected a face-to-face meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that the cessation of hostilities must precede direct political engagement. The full execution of the framework remains conditional upon the total disarmament of Hezbollah, a group that has rejected the agreement. President Aoun is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday.