Lebanese Government Troops Deployed to 'Pilot Zone' in Southern Lebanon Following Israeli Withdrawal

Lebanese government troops have begun deploying to a 'pilot zone' in southern Lebanon, which was vacated by the Israeli military under a framework agreement brokered by the United States, Reuters and AFP reported on July 21 (local time).

According to Lebanese security officials and military sources, the Lebanese Armed Forces deployed troops to the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in the southern Nabatieh region on this day, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Earlier, the Israeli military officially confirmed the start of the pilot zone program the previous day.

However, Israel has not provided any immediate further comment regarding the withdrawal of its own troops and the subsequent deployment of Lebanese forces.

The 'pilot zone' program is being led by the United States to reduce the influence of the pro-Iranian militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and to eliminate security threats against Israel.

The strategy involves the Israeli military, which had deployed ground troops into southern Lebanon under the pretext of neutralizing the threat from Hezbollah, withdrawing its forces from the pilot zone and allowing the Lebanese government military to enter and secure the area.

The U.S. calculation is that if the pilot zone program operates successfully, it could diminish the influence of Hezbollah, which has been entrenched in southern Lebanon for decades and has posed a threat to residents in northern Israel.

However, it is difficult to guarantee the success of the program, as Hezbollah is resisting the move, and Israel, which withdrew its forces from the pilot zone under U.S. pressure, remains skeptical of the Lebanese government military.

Hezbollah declared its participation in the war on the side of Iran and began attacking Israel on March 2, following the death of Iran's former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a U.S. and Israeli airstrike on February 28.

In response, Israel launched airstrikes across Lebanon and deployed ground troops into the south, citing the need to eliminate security threats posed by Hezbollah.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.