Lebanese Army Deploys to Pilot Zone as Israeli Troops Withdraw

Mon Sep 07 2026 09:19:49 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Lebanon moves troops into a pilot zone after Israeli forces pull back in a US‑brokered deal, signalling a new chapter in the southern conflict.

After a fortnight of hostilities, Israeli forces began pulling back from southern Lebanon following a US‑brokered agreement. The Lebanese army has seized the moment, moving units into Zawtar al‑Gharbiyeh in the Nabatieh district as the pilot zone takes shape. Leaders from Washington, Beirut and Washington are set to pace the next steps, with the Lebanese president urging the US to push for full Israeli withdrawal. The move comes amid mounting casualties in Lebanon, where more than 4,300 civilians, including 800 children, have died. While Israeli forces remain stationed to oversee Hezbollah disarmament, the region braces for a fragile draw‑down.

Lebanese Army Deploys to Pilot Zone as Israeli Troops Withdraw

The Lebanese army announced that its forces have begun moving into a pilot zone in the south of the country following the withdrawal of Israeli troops under a United States‑brokered agreement from last month.

According to army officials, troops entered Zawtar al‑Gharbiyeh in the Nabatieh district on Tuesday morning, marking the first phase of the new withdrawal plan. The plan sees Israeli soldiers leave a small segment of land in the south that had been occupied during their recent conflict with Hezbollah, while the Lebanese forces will oversee the disarmament of the Iran‑backed militia.

The move precedes a high‑level meeting in Washington between United States President Donald Trump and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. President Aoun is expected to push President Trump to press Israel to pull out of the remainder of southern Lebanon and to support the Lebanese army’s control of areas where Hezbollah still operates.

The roots of the recent clash trace back to March 2, the day Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in protest of a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader. Israel responded by launching a bombing campaign across Lebanon and staging a large‑scale invasion of the south.

Lebanese sources report that more than 4,300 people have been killed in the country, including almost 800 children, women and medical personnel. Israeli authorities say 37 soldiers and four civilians have lost their lives during the conflict on both sides.