The Lebanese army said Tuesday that Israeli forces opened fire near its soldiers as they deployed in the southern Lebanon town of Zawtar al-Gharbiya, part of a pilot program. The army warned the incident could delay implementation of the 'Safe Zone' plan, under which the IDF withdraws from three villages and the Lebanese army takes over. No casualties were reported. The IDF has not yet commented.
The Lebanese army's warning that IDF fire near its troops in Zawtar al-Gharbiya could delay the 'Safe Zone' pilot program marks the first friction point in the nascent arrangement. The incident occurred around 15:35 Jerusalem Tuesday, as the Lebanese army was deploying in the village — one of three the IDF had pledged to vacate under the pilot program. The Lebanese army said it raised the matter with the military coordination group.
The program, launched Monday (July 20) under U.S. mediation, involves the IDF withdrawing from Faron, Sirifa, and Zawtar al-Gharbiya while the Lebanese army enters to confiscate Hezbollah weapons. As The Zioneer reported at 12:03 Jerusalem, the Lebanese army had already entered the pilot-zone villages earlier Tuesday. The first reports of the incident at 15:35, from multiple outlets, detailed the Lebanese army's accusation that IDF forces opened fire near its troops. Within minutes, subsequent reports specified the location and added that the army warned the fire could delay implementation. The Lebanese army also said it raised the issue with the military coordination group, according to journalist reports.
The pilot program is seen as a test of the broader ceasefire framework. As The Zioneer reported Monday, the IDF warned it would respond forcefully to any violations. Previous incidents, including an IDF strike on a vehicle carrying four suspects near the security zone on July 6 and a launch from Lebanon that fell near Israeli forces on June 8, have underscored the fragile security environment.
The IDF has not yet commented on the claim. No casualties have been reported. It remains unclear whether the incident will in fact delay the pilot program, which was designed as a limited test of the withdrawal-deployment framework.
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