Israeli forces have pulled out of the first of two agreed pilot zones in southern Lebanon following a U.S.-brokered framework with Lebanon. The withdrawal came after Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) troops reclaimed control of Zawtar Gharbieh, a town in Nabatieh District, where Israeli troops had conducted operations but never established a permanent presence.
The framework requires Israel to withdraw from occupied areas only after Hezbollah fighters and weapons are verifiably removed. So far, Israel has completed the pullout from one of the two pilot zones, while the verification process for disarmament remains undecided. Lebanon’s military now patrols the area, but uncertainty lingers over whether the second zone will follow the same path.
The withdrawal marks a tentative step in easing tensions, though the broader mission’s future remains unclear as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) nears the end of its mandate.
