SummaryA senior Lebanese security official said army forces began deploying in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbi in southern Lebanon after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, in implementation of a plan mediated by the United States.

The Lebanese army said on Tuesday that Israeli forces opened fire 'in close proximity' to its troops during their deployment in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbi, one of the 'experimental areas' in the south of the country, under the framework agreement with Israel.

The army stated in a statement: "While the military units were carrying out the deployment operation in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbi, Israeli forces opened fire in close proximity to these units," stressing that "this attack could hinder the implementation of deployment steps in the experimental areas.""

The Lebanese army began deploying on Tuesday morning in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbi in southern Lebanon, according to a military source, in application of the 'experimental areas' under the framework agreement reached with Israel, hours before the meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and his US counterpart Donald Trump.

The source added: 'The army began deploying in Zawtar al-Gharbi,' a town in the Nabatieh Governorate, where the Israeli army had been stationed on its outskirts and prevented residents from returning.

This came a day after the US State Department announced the immediate implementation of the experimental areas in three towns in the south of the country.

Withdrawal of Israeli forces

A senior Lebanese security official said army forces began deploying in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbi in southern Lebanon after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, in implementation of a plan mediated by the United States.

The plan stipulates that the Lebanese army confiscate weapons of Hezbollah in parts of southern Lebanon, and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces.

The Lebanese army command said in a statement that military units began deploying on Tuesday morning in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbi – Nabatieh district based on ongoing contacts with the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon.

The army command renewed its call for citizens not to head to the town until the security situation stabilizes, and to comply with the instructions of the deployed military units to ensure their safety.

American-Lebanese summit

At this time, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets his US counterpart Donald Trump on Tuesday in Washington, as US pressure on Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah intensifies.

The visit comes a day after the United States, which sponsors negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, announced the start of implementation of a framework signed by the two countries, which includes the Lebanese army extending its authority over 'experimental areas' in southern Lebanon.

These areas are adjacent to territories occupied by Israel in southern Lebanon, and the Israeli army is stationed on the outskirts of one of these towns. Israeli soldiers have penetrated vast areas in southern Lebanon since the beginning of the war between them and Hezbollah on March 2 last year.

The framework agreement also stipulates a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the south, but Israel conditions the withdrawal on the disarmament of Hezbollah. It says it will keep its forces for now in what it has classified as a 'security zone'.

Washington is pressuring Lebanese authorities to disarm Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters after meeting Aoun last Sunday, 'As long as this problem persists, Lebanon will not truly enjoy peace.'

In a previous statement by the US State Department, Rubio praised 'the courage of the Lebanese government (...) and its firm efforts to restore Lebanon's sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah, and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure.'

It is the first visit by a Lebanese president to the United States since 2009, when former President Barack Obama received his then-counterpart Michel Suleiman.

Aoun is expected to request more aid for the Lebanese army, given the difficulty of the task of disarming Hezbollah.

Lebanese army vehicles in the town of Frun, listed among the experimental areas (AFP)

In contrast, the executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Robert Satloff, believes that Trump 'will undoubtedly want to hear additional evidence of Aoun's seriousness' in disarming the party, dismissing army officers believed to be complicit with it, and reaching peace with Israel.

Satloff adds that Aoun's visit will also allow him to 'eliminate a dangerous idea that seems to have captured Trump's imagination: enabling Syria to send troops to Lebanon under the pretext of eliminating Hezbollah.' Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa earlier said his country does not intend to intervene in Lebanon, despite repeated calls by Trump to do so.

Israel: Start of the experimental safe zone project

The Lebanese army stated that its units continue their tasks in the towns of Frun and Sarifa in southern Lebanon and are coordinating with the Military Coordination Group in Lebanon to begin deployment in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbi after the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

The Israeli army said that the experimental phase of the safe zone project in southern Lebanon began yesterday, Monday, in cooperation with the US Central Command and the Lebanese army, which a US official described as a step towards reaffirming the Lebanese state's authority in the region.

The experimental safe zone is an area of land in southern Lebanon where the US-backed agreement signed by Israel and Lebanon last month stipulates the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the deployment of Lebanese forces.

Israeli flag on the side of a road in Naqoura, southern Lebanon (AFP)

The Israeli army announced that it would make adjustments to its positions 'in one of the experimental areas in southern Lebanon, in order to enable the Lebanese army to carry out its mission,' according to an Israeli military source.

The Israeli military source said the adjustments would be made 'while maintaining the security of Israeli army soldiers and preserving their right to self-defense and the removal of threats.'

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He pointed out that the step 'constitutes a test of the Lebanese army's ability to extend its sovereignty over the three villages concerned, as it is the only official authority authorized to bear arms in the region.'

The three armies

The Israeli army said that teams from the three armies are conducting coordination and planning operations to implement the agreement. The Lebanese army stated yesterday, Monday, that its units continue their tasks in the towns of Frun and Sarifa in southern Lebanon and are coordinating with the Military Coordination Group in Lebanon to begin deployment in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbi after the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

The United States announced yesterday, Monday, that Lebanon and Israel would begin implementing the experimental areas 'in the villages of Frun, Sarifa, and Zawtar al-Gharbi, in accordance with the tripartite framework agreement and under the supervision of the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon.'

The Coordination Group is a tripartite body formed under the framework agreement to support its implementation, with American mediation.

The army called on residents not to enter the town of Zawtar al-Gharbi and to comply with the instructions of the forces deployed in the area.