The IDF has begun pulling back from designated areas in southern Lebanon and transferring authority to the Lebanese army, as part of a pilot program, Channel 14 reports. The move marks the first operational test of the Israel-Lebanon withdrawal agreement.
On Tuesday evening, Channel 14 reported that the IDF has begun the operational transfer of control to the Lebanese army in the designated pilot areas of southern Lebanon. This marks the first actual handover of authority under the pilot program, which the IDF officially launched on Monday evening as the 'Safe Zone' initiative in cooperation with the U.S. and Lebanese militaries.
On Monday at 22:30 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that the IDF launched the Safe Zone pilot program and began trial withdrawals from the buffer zone. Simultaneously, the IDF withdrew from the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, and the Lebanese army deployed in the area, with video footage confirming their entry. Over the course of Monday evening, multiple reports confirmed the Lebanese army's deployment in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh and other villages. The pilot program, which has been under discussion for weeks, involves three villages, as The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday: two villages outside the 'yellow line' and one straddling it.
The developments come amid a broader phased withdrawal agreement signed Friday, driven by US pressure. The Zioneer reported on June 22 that the IDF reduced forces in southern Lebanon ahead of the pilot phase. On July 17, it reported that the US was expected to announce the pilot zone on Sunday. Analysis published on June 26 described the withdrawal as a test of whether the Lebanese army can constrain Hezbollah, with the US and Israel gambling on the strategy.
Despite the progress, two issues remain unresolved: the supervisory mechanism for the agreement and the criteria for defining areas cleared of Hezbollah weapons, as reported by N12 on Monday. The specific details of the current withdrawal, including the areas and timeline, also remain unconfirmed.
22 developments
- DevelopingIDF begins pilot withdrawal from southern Lebanon zones
- DevelopingIDF to hand over two areas in southern Lebanon to Lebanese army under agreement
- DevelopingPilot IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon delayed pending trilateral oversight mechanism
- DevelopingIsrael and Lebanon sign partial IDF withdrawal deal
Source and signal
- Internal intake