The United States announced that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire that includes the establishment of “experimental zones” following the conclusion of the sessions of the second and final day of their fourth negotiating round in Washington, amid internal Israeli controversy regarding the agreement, and the continued Israeli field escalation in southern Lebanon, leaving dozens of victims dead and wounded.
The US State Department stated that the two parties agreed – under the guidance of Washington – to accelerate the establishment of experimental areas, in which the Lebanese Armed Forces would exclusively control the land, excluding all non-governmental parties.
What are “pilot areas”?
According to the American statement, control within those areas will be exclusively for the Lebanese Army, with the exclusion of all non-governmental parties, a clear indication that this area will be free of Hezbollah or any non-governmental armed party.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun revealed, in statements reported by Lebanese media on Thursday, that Lebanon proposed that the “experimental zone” include, in a first phase, the western and eastern regions of Zawtar and Qalaat Shaqif, indicating that implementation of the agreement may begin within 24 hours of the approval of all parties and the provision of the necessary guarantees.
The Lebanese President said that the negotiations “were difficult and resumed after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio intervened following a request to suspend them from the head of the Lebanese delegation,” adding that “the agreement may be the last chance, otherwise each party should bear its responsibilities.”
He continued, “The agreement will be sustainable, and we are counting on the role of President Trump.”
Director of Al Jazeera’s office in Lebanon, Mazen Ibrahim, said that Israel “is trying through the negotiating process to establish the idea of experimental areas, especially through the Lebanese army’s work to evacuate certain areas of weapons and fighters and turn them into experimental areas, and this has repercussions on the Lebanese interior.”
Walid Al-Omari, director of Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah, said that there is no talk in Israel about withdrawal from Lebanon, noting that “the talk is that Hezbollah must withdraw in accordance with the agreement and evacuate all its members from south of the Litani to the international border.” He added, “Then the experimental areas will begin,” explaining that the matter is related to the Lebanese army entering those areas after they are evacuated of militants.
US State Department statement
According to the US State Department statement, the ceasefire “is conditional on a complete ceasefire by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, and the removal of all its members from the southern Litani sector.”
She explained that the steps to impose the Lebanese army’s control will pave the way towards a comprehensive peace and security agreement with Israel, noting that “the future of the relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be decided exclusively by the sovereign governments of the two countries.”
Washington expressed its rejection of any attempt by any state or non-state actor to hold Lebanon’s future hostage, noting that Israel and Lebanon reaffirm that their relations are free of any mutual hostile intentions.
Regarding the outstanding issues between the two sides, the US State Department said that the two sides committed to continuing direct negotiations to resolve them and reach a comprehensive agreement.
She revealed that the two delegations discussed a security framework based on the discussions that took place in the Pentagon on May 29, stressing that the security framework between Lebanon and Israel includes dismantling non-governmental armed groups and preventing their return.
She said that any agreement to stop hostilities must be concluded directly between the governments of Lebanon and Israel under American sponsorship, declaring her complete rejection of any separate or parallel track for direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.
Washington affirmed its intention to support the Lebanese army and develop its capabilities to enable it to extend full and effective sovereignty over its lands, adding that Israel confirmed that its security and the preservation of its lands cannot be achieved except by disarming Hezbollah and dismantling its infrastructure.
The US State Department said that Israel adheres to direct negotiations under Washington’s leadership to resolve the outstanding issues and achieve peace.
She added, “Lebanon stressed mutual respect for international borders and an urgent and complete cessation of hostilities, and affirmed its adherence to the principles of territorial integrity and full state sovereignty.”
She explained that Lebanon committed to strengthening the capabilities of its army, with American support, to impose full and effective control over the country’s territory, revealing that Israel and Lebanon agreed to resume negotiations on June 22 to reach a comprehensive agreement.
She explained that the United States agreed to continue facilitating communication between Israel and Lebanon during the transitional period.
Trump and Netanyahu dispute
In the same context, Axios quoted two senior American officials as saying that while President Trump wants to end the war in Lebanon, it seems that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to resume it.
The website stated that the recent disagreement between Netanyahu and Trump over Lebanon confirmed how his military goals – and perhaps his political survival – depend on an American president who does not share his desire for escalation.
He stressed that Trump and Netanyahu coordinated very closely on Iran, and spoke almost daily, but officials on both sides realize that there may come a time when the interests and goals of the two allies diverge.
He added that some in Netanyahu’s camp fear that this time has come.
“Big mistake”
In Tel Aviv, Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir attacked the agreement, and said, “The ceasefire with Lebanon is a grave mistake,” adding in a blog post on the
Ben Gvir continued, “Hezbollah will only grow stronger, and instead of crushing it, Israel will accept its presence. The Prime Minister should have said to President Trump: We love you and appreciate you, but Israel is a sovereign and independent state, and it cannot accept the strengthening of a terrorist organization and its presence on its borders.”
The leader of the Yisrael Beytenu party, Avigdor Lieberman, said that the ceasefire with Lebanon is nothing but another opportunity for Hezbollah to reorganize its ranks and strengthen its strength. He added in a blog post on the
Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz described the agreement between Israel and Lebanon as “important,” and said in a post on the X platform, “If it is implemented (the agreement), it may constitute a major political breakthrough in the war against Hezbollah and isolate this terrorist organization.”
He added, “This agreement will be tested on the ground, so the Israeli army must remain deployed inside Lebanese territory until the agreement is fully implemented, and the State of Israel must respond forcefully to any violation by Hezbollah, no matter how simple.”
Katz calls for recognition of achievement
On the other hand, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz attacked the opposition, and said in statements reported by Channel 12, “They must apologize and acknowledge the great achievement of the ceasefire agreement and understandings with Lebanon.” He added, “While they were attacking the government, it led steps that could lead to a political peace agreement and the achievement of real security for the first time in 50 years.”
The Israeli minister said, “Yesterday’s declaration of principles between Israel and the government of Lebanon is an expression of the reality that we imposed in Lebanon,” explaining that a demilitarized zone will be established south of the Litani, and that the army will remain in the security zone in Lebanon until the yellow line. He added, “Our army remaining in the security zone includes the Beaufort Castle area, while preventing the return of residents to it.”
Katz explained that Israel has “the freedom to act, with American support, to attack Beirut in response to any shooting towards the settlements or Israel,” stressing “to continue targeting Hezbollah’s infrastructure in Lebanon.”
Field escalation
These developments come amid an ongoing field escalation despite the ceasefire in effect since April 17, as dozens were killed and wounded in attacks launched by Tel Aviv in recent hours, while Hezbollah carried out a series of operations against the occupation forces.
In the latest developments on the ground, the Israeli army announced that the Golani Brigade forces imposed operational control over the Shaqif Heights in southern Lebanon, and added that it “spotted two armed members during the attack on the Shaqif Heights, and the Air Force killed the two members after they were targeted by an Israeli tank.”
Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Lebanon reported that two Israeli drone raids targeted the city of Tire and the town of Abbasiya in the Tire district of southern Lebanon, coinciding with an Israeli artillery bombardment targeting the vicinity of the Qatrani farm in the Jezzine district.
She added that a raid also took place in the vicinity of the town of Ghaziyeh in the Sidon district.
In the past hours yesterday, Wednesday, 22 people were killed and at least 13 wounded, in 96 Israeli attacks on southern and central Lebanon, according to data from the official Lebanese News Agency.
The dead included 4 paramedics, a soldier in the Lebanese army, 4 Syrians, and 2 Palestinians, while the Israeli attacks were distributed among 84 air strikes, 7 artillery shelling operations, and 5 bombings of homes and buildings.
On the other hand, Hezbollah announced that it had targeted, with two assault drones, a “leading position of the Israeli forces” in the vicinity of Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon. It also bombed with missiles occupation gatherings in the southern outskirts of the town of Dibbin, and the vicinity of the town of Yammar Beaufort and its eastern outskirts, which led to confirmed casualties.
He indicated that he responded with a surface-to-air missile to two Israeli drones in the airspace of the western sector of southern Lebanon, and forced them to leave.
Since last March 2, Israel has launched an expanded aggression against Lebanon, leaving 3,516 dead and 10,674 injured as of Wednesday afternoon, in addition to more than a million displaced, according to official data.
