Lebanese president’s visit to Washington ‘doesn’t resolve anything at this point’

Nabeel Khoury, a former US diplomat, has told said that Trump’s interests may not align with those of Israel’s Netanyahu in Lebanon.

Khoury argued that a meeting in Washington between Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Trump “doesn’t really resolve anything at this point”, noting that the best likely outcome is “a promise to continue talking” and to begin implementing the “very general” memorandum of understanding.

“They need to start implementing those things, and the most problematic among those principles is that the Lebanese army is supposed to disarm Hezbollah as a precondition for Israeli withdrawal,” Khoury said, warning that doing so “is a very dangerous thing to do in Lebanon”.

However, Khoury raised the possibility of a negotiated alternative in which Hezbollah hands over its weapons voluntarily in exchange for a Lebanese state guarantee to protect its borders and secure a full Israeli troop withdrawal.

“That is a possibility,” Khoury pointed out, “but at this point, I would have to say it’s a remote possibility”.

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed backs Lebanon, invites president for visit

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has voiced support for Lebanon and its president during a phone call.

In a post on X, Lebanon’s presidency said that President Joseph Aoun spoke with Prince Mohammed on Monday about the latest developments in Lebanon and the region.

MBS affirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for Lebanon “in this particular circumstance” and the choices made by Aoun to safeguard Lebanon’s “sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity”, the presidency said.

“Prince Mohammed also renewed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to assisting Lebanon in all areas identified as priorities by the Lebanese government.”

Aoun thanked Prince Mohammed for his support and measures taken to strengthen Lebanon’s economy, and accepted an invitation to visit the kingdom to discuss matters of mutual interest, the statement added.

Warning sirens activated in Bahrain

The Ministry of Interior has told people to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”.

US announces launch of first ‘pilot zones’ in southern Lebanon

The United States says operations have begun in the first “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon as part of efforts to implement the ceasefire framework agreed between Israel and Lebanon.

In a statement, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said pilot zone operations started in the villages of Froun, Srifa and Zawtar al-Gharbiya “in accordance with the Trilateral Framework and under the auspices of the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon”.

Pigott described the move as “a direct outcome of last week’s discussions between Israel and Lebanon in Rome”, adding Washington “will continue working closely with both parties to implement the Framework to a successful conclusion”.

At least 4,328 Lebanese killed in Israeli attacks since March

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says 4,328 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since it began its air strikes and ground invasion in March.

During the same period, 12,230 others were wounded in Israeli attacks.

Israeli officials have vowed troops will remain in a “security zone” 10km (six miles) deep along the frontier for as long as Hezbollah remains armed.

Israel’s military continues launch strikes on southern Lebanon and carry out demolitions of villages it occupies near the border despite an ongoing “ceasefire”.

Israeli forces yet to withdraw from southern Lebanese town, says official

The mayor of the Lebanese town of Froun has contradicted a statement issued by the Lebanese army where it said it had retaken southern towns from Israeli control.

Hassan Bazzi said that the Lebanese army has not yet begun deploying in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiya, because Israeli forces are yet to withdraw from the outskirts of the town.

“This is just talk. There have been no new developments in the town of Froun. The situation remains unchanged”, he said.

Operational pilot zones to hand over Israeli occupied towns in southern Lebanon back were officially launched on Monday, marking a critical step forward in regional stabilization efforts.

Myth versus reality of southern Lebanon’s pilot zones

In theory, these pilot zones were initially described as areas where the Israeli army would withdraw from. The Lebanese army would then be deployed to make sure that they remain clear of Hezbollah weapons and fighters.

But in practice, the three areas named are not ones that the Israeli army has full control over. In fact, Israeli forces never even entered Froon and Srifa. And so instead of the pilot zones being a test of Israeli withdrawal, what they have become, is in fact, a test for the Lebanese army’s ability to clear these areas on its own.

One of the sticking points has been that the Israelis reportedly want to be directly involved in verifying whether the Lebanese army has done its job. And that is one of many things that have led to scepticism among the Lebanese; that the withdrawal process will be subject to delays and, in fact, could take years.

This announcement that the pilot zones would begin on Monday initially came from the US State Department, but local sources on the ground have said that little has changed. A security source said that the Lebanese army hasn’t started deploying, and the reason for that is that the Israeli military is still present on the outskirts of town, that they occupy.

It is false when the Lebanese government claims that the framework is explicit for the country of Lebanon and its people.

The US produced paperwork is no other than an repeat of the forced signing of a "ceasefire" under conditions from 2006.

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The three named areas are Froun, Zawtar al-Gharbiya and Srifa.

Israeli army says pilot phase of southern Lebanon safe zones has begun

The Israeli army says the pilot phase of a “Safe Zone” project in southern Lebanon began today in coordination with the US and Lebanese army.

In a statement on X, the Israeli army Israeli, US and Lebanese military teams were conducting coordination and planning activities as part of the pilot phase to continue implementing the agreement.

The Israeli army threatened to “act forcefully against any breach of the agreement”.

The announcement follows a statement from the US State Department earlier on Monday saying pilot zone operations had begun in the southern Lebanese villages of Froun, Srifa and Zawtar al-Gharbiya under the Trilateral Framework agreement.