Military talks to finalize pilot zones for Israeli withdrawal in southern Lebanon

Lebanese and Israeli military officials are scheduled to hold virtual talks on Friday, sponsored by the US, to finalize pilot zones for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. These technical discussions follow recent negotiations in Rome focused on implementing a June 26 framework agreement. The pilot zones aim for the Israeli army to withdraw from occupied territory, allowing the Lebanese Army to deploy, maintain order, and bring weapons under state control. The Lebanese Army has already reinforced its presence along the "Yellow Line" and in potential pilot zones, conducting security operations and clearing ordnance. A third party, not UNIFIL or UNTSO, will monitor the implementation of this phased plan, which the US State Department described as having "productive" talks and an agreement on the structure and guidelines for the pilot zone process.