Lebanese President Aoun Meets Trump at White House on Israel Pact

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met President Trump at the White House on July 21 to discuss a trilateral agreement signed with Israel on June 26 under U.S. auspices. The session marked the first visit by a Lebanese head of state to the White House in nearly two decades.

The agreement requires the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah before any progressive redeployment of Israeli troops from a six-mile strip along the border that covers roughly 7 percent of Lebanese territory. The pact contains no reference to withdrawal and sets no timeline for Israeli redeployment.

The Lebanese Army has begun establishing positions in pilot zones such as Froun to carry out the agreement.

Israeli forces remain stationed about 2.5 miles from the village, and more than 200 homes there were destroyed in earlier strikes. Froun mayor Hassan Bazzi said Israel selected the area because adjacent zones next to the Yellow Line could not be seized during the war. An Israeli strike on July 6 killed kindergarten principal Esperanza Ghandour and three other occupants of her car near Nabatieh.

The Israeli military said it struck a vehicle approaching what it calls a security zone. Local officials said Ghandour's house stood about 400 yards from the main road near the Yellow Line. Nabatieh al-Fawqa mayor Zain Ghandour said the killings send a message that civilians approaching the area will be targeted.

Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad said the framework is a first step toward restoring Lebanese sovereignty. Hezbollah reentered the regional war in March 2026 in support of Iran.