Israel considers limited southern Lebanon withdrawal despite previous pledges

Israeli officials emphasized that any withdrawal under consideration would be limited in scope.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

A potential Israeli redeployment from parts of southern Lebanon is under discussion as Israeli and Lebanese officials begin a fifth round of negotiations in Washington, with the United States promoting a plan that would gradually transfer responsibility for certain areas to the Lebanese Army, Channel 13 reported.

The talks, mediated by Washington, include proposals under which Lebanese forces would move into locations currently held by the Israel Defense Forces after undergoing training and vetting by the U.S. military.

The objective, according to Israeli officials, is to ensure that personnel deployed in those areas are members of the Lebanese Army rather than Hezbollah.

Israeli officials emphasized that any withdrawal under consideration would be limited in scope.

“We captured territory in recent days for the purpose of negotiations, in order to withdraw from it,” a senior Israeli official told Channel 13 News.

The official said the areas being discussed represent only a small fraction of the territory under Israeli control.

“We will withdraw from a small area in southern Lebanon, a few percentage points of the territory,” the official said.

Some of the locations under review are reportedly situated south of the Yellow Line, where Israeli forces currently maintain positions.

The discussions come as U.S. officials seek to advance what Israeli sources described as a pilot program involving the Lebanese Army.

“We need to give the United States a chance to try their pilot program,” the senior Israeli official said.

At the same time, Israeli officials have reported increasing limitations on military activity in Lebanon. According to Channel 13, Israel’s political leadership recently issued updated operational directives that permit action within the Yellow Line and against immediate threats while restricting operations in more distant locations, including Beirut and Tyre.

“The message we received from the Americans in recent weeks is clear — you had credit to operate without limitations, and it has run out,” another senior Israeli official told the network.

The negotiations opened one day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly reiterated that Israeli troops would remain in the southern Lebanon security zone for as long as necessary and would retain freedom of action against emerging threats.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, commenting on the latest round of talks, said a withdrawal remains a central objective and described the negotiations as potentially decisive.