Israel, Lebanon, and US Sign Agreement in Washington, Defining "Pilot Zones" for Gradual Troop Withdrawal

Israel, Lebanon, and US Sign Agreement in Washington, Defining "Pilot Zones" for Gradual Troop Withdrawal

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address formalized the announcement of a historic trilateral framework agreement signed in Washington between Israel, Lebanon, and the United States. The treaty establishes guidelines for a gradual transition of authority in the border region, based on the creation of two "pilot zones" for troop drawdown recommended by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The plan reconfigures the positioning of forces in the region, adopting specific geographical criteria relative to the Litani River to test the capacity of the regular Lebanese army to maintain territorial control and contain threats.

Breakdown of the Pilot Zones

The partial pullback of Israeli forces is delimited into two sectors:

Pilot Zone South of the Litani River: Located entirely outside the perimeter of the original security zone stipulated by Israel. Since the Litani River is located about 30 kilometers from the Israeli border, the transfer of this area serves as a practical test to measure the capacity of Lebanese forces to exercise the presence of a sovereign state as close as possible to Israel's border.

Pilot Zone North of the Litani River: Located north of the river's course, this strip comprises a small part of the "expanded security zone" operationally occupied by Israel in the weeks leading up to the agreement. The IDF military command formally communicated to the government that the permanence and continuous occupation of this specific sector were no longer tactically necessary for defense objectives, making it ideal for the first phase of evacuation.

Operational Dynamics and US Presence

The central objective of the pilot zones is to implement initial plans to disarm Hezbollah and neutralize pockets of instability. To prevent fighters from the armed group from reoccupying the spaces vacated by the IDF, United States military personnel will operate directly on the ground, participating in logistics, monitoring, and technical verification alongside the Lebanese Army.

If Lebanon's state forces demonstrate efficiency in maintaining order and excluding Hezbollah from these two initial areas, the pilot zone model may be gradually expanded to other sectors, paving the way for the future return of displaced civilians to their villages.

Maintenance of the Original Zone and Military Impasse

The agreement fully preserves Israel's active defense line. Netanyahu and Israeli officials firmly emphasized that troops will permanently remain positioned in the original security zone. This strategic strip is considered crucial for keeping communities and cities in northern Israel out of the reach of ground-based anti-tank missiles, and no combatant or displaced Lebanese civilian will be permitted to return to it at this time. A total withdrawal from this specific zone will only occur upon the verified and complete disarmament of Hezbollah.

Under the signed text, Hezbollah is formally treated as a "hostile actor" to Lebanese sovereignty, with demands for the dismantling of its associated infrastructure in the region.

Reactions and Risks of Internal Instability in Lebanon

While diplomacy in Washington and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun celebrate the treaty as the first step toward the restoration of Lebanon's full national sovereignty, the internal scenario in Beirut is highly polarized. Hezbollah's political bloc categorically rejected the effectiveness of the agreement, classifying it as a "unilateral concession" and warning that its forced implementation by Beirut could push the country toward the risk of a civil war.

Shortly after the official announcement, demonstrations, protests, and roadblocks by supporters of the armed group began to be recorded in neighborhoods across Beirut. The coming weeks will serve as a definitive test to evaluate whether Lebanon's regular army has the political and operational stamina to contain the militias and consolidate its authority.