IDF's Zamir meets top US comm. to promote cooperation on Lebanon, Hezbollah strategy – exclusive

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir met with US Lt.-Gen. Joseph Clearfield on Wednesday to discuss strategies for Lebanon, focusing on coordinating mechanisms impacting Israel, the Lebanese army, and Hezbollah. The discussions aim to facilitate the Lebanese army's deployment to southern Lebanon to displace Hezbollah and enable partial IDF withdrawals, independent of Iranian influence. Zamir emphasized Hezbollah's current weakness and the Lebanese government's alignment with Israeli positions, urging that this opportunity not be wasted by allowing Hezbollah to rearm. However, the IDF remains skeptical about the Lebanese army's long-term ability to contain Hezbollah, citing historical inconsistencies in their resolve and systemic issues such as Shi'ite sympathy within the army for Hezbollah and the terror group's superior armament.