Israel Begins Limited Withdrawal from Southern Lebanon Villages Under U.S.-Brokered Pilot Deal

-brokered agreement. The State Department announced the step on Monday as the initial phase of a pilot zone arrangement reached in Rome the previous week. The Lebanese Armed Forces will now clear the zones of Hezbollah weapons and infrastructure, conduct verified operations, and secure the areas against renewed militant activity.

A senior Israeli official confirmed the pullback started Tuesday, while an IDF official described it as a test of Lebanese sovereignty in the villages. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will meet President Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday. Aoun is the first Lebanese president to visit the White House since 2009.

The two leaders have held two phone calls in recent months that both sides described as positive. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Aoun on Sunday before departing for Asia. Rubio told reporters that strengthening the Lebanese government and armed forces offers the best path to replace Hezbollah influence and attract U.S.

And international investment. U.S. officials said the pilot zones represent progress on the ground and are intended to build confidence for further withdrawals. They added that any Hezbollah attempt to re-enter the areas would harm reconstruction prospects.

Negotiations continue over which party will verify the clearance operations before additional phases begin. The current withdrawal marks the first Israeli pullback from Lebanese territory since the March ground invasion launched in response to Hezbollah attacks. Both Trump and Aoun have noted that any acceleration toward a broader peace deal will await Israeli elections scheduled for October.