Lebanese army enters southern Zawtar al‑Gharbiya pilot zone under US‑brokered deal

Beirut – The Lebanese army began moving troops into Zawtar al‑Gharbiya, a town in southern Lebanon, marking the first phase of a U.S.‑brokered framework aimed at stabilizing the volatile border area. The deployment, announced by the Ministry of Defense on Monday, involves several battalions equipped with armored vehicles and artillery units, and is intended to reinforce the Lebanese Armed Forces’ presence along the Israeli frontier while supporting the implementation of the newly signed agreement.

The framework, negotiated by American diplomats and signed by representatives of Lebanon and Israel, seeks to curb cross‑border incidents, establish joint monitoring mechanisms, and create a buffer zone to prevent armed confrontations. It follows months of heightened tension after sporadic exchanges of fire between Hezbollah-affiliated groups and Israeli forces. International observers have welcomed the move as a step toward de‑escalation, while Lebanese officials emphasized that the army’s role will remain limited to security and verification tasks under the terms of the deal. The deployment is slated to continue for an initial 90‑day period, after which its effectiveness will be reviewed by the parties involved.