Istanbul/ Khaled Youssef/ Anadolu Agency

Hebrew Channel 12 claimed on Monday that the Israeli military will begin withdrawing from two pilot areas in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, as part of the implementation of the "framework formula" regarding the withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories.

This comes shortly after the US State Department announced earlier on Monday the commencement of operations in the first pilot areas in the towns of Froun, Srifa, and Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in southern Lebanon, in accordance with the "framework formula" signed between Lebanon and Israel under US sponsorship.

In a statement, the US State Department said that the launch of operations in these areas represents an "important milestone" and is a direct result of discussions held last week between Lebanon and Israel in the Italian capital, Rome.

The department affirmed that the United States will continue to work "closely" with both the Lebanese and Israeli sides to implement the agreed-upon framework and bring it to a "successful conclusion."

The statement did not include further details regarding the nature of the operations to be carried out in the pilot areas or the timeframe allotted for them.

There was also no immediate comment from Lebanon regarding this matter.

Channel 12 quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying that "the Israeli withdrawal from the pilot areas in Lebanon will take place tomorrow (Tuesday)."

The official stated that Israel "will not withdraw from the territories it has seized if Hezbollah remains an influential force in the country," claiming that the Israeli military "retains the freedom to respond to any threat that may arise."

He added that Israel "will continue to consolidate its control over the area as long as there is a threat to the border," as he put it.

The sixth round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, which concluded last Wednesday in Rome, resulted in an initial agreement to designate two pilot areas to begin implementing the Israeli withdrawal.

The agreement represented limited progress in negotiations since the signing of the "framework formula" in late June 2026, while more sensitive issues were deferred to later rounds, alongside the holding of a supplementary military meeting.

Following the Rome talks, the US Embassy in Beirut announced an agreement on the "structure and guidelines" for implementing the Israeli withdrawal from two pilot areas in southern Lebanon, to begin within the coming days.

The "framework formula" stipulates a gradual Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territories, starting with the implementation of a model in two pilot areas.

The formula did not include a timetable for the withdrawal, and linked its completion to the Lebanese Army assuming full security responsibility in the areas from which Israeli forces withdraw, in addition to the disarmament of armed groups, in reference to "Hezbollah."

Since March 2, 2026, Israel has continued its aggression against Lebanon, resulting in 4,328 deaths and 12,230 injuries, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some of which have been held for decades and others since the confrontations between 2023 and 2024; it has also advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory during the current aggression.