Israel and Lebanon discuss US-backed pilot transfer of control in southern Lebanon as talks continue in Washington

The talks in Washington are now focused on a US-backed pilot project that could transfer control of some captured territory in southern Lebanon from Israeli forces to the Lebanese Armed Forces. According to the reported discussions, the arrangement would be limited in scope and would not amount to a full Israeli withdrawal from the area. Israeli forces would keep a military presence in a border buffer zone while Lebanese troops take on some control duties.

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The latest reporting says the Lebanese soldiers involved would be vetted and trained by the United States to ensure they are not linked to Hezbollah. A senior Lebanese security official said the talks were continuing in Washington and that specific discussions between the two militaries, including the pilot zones, were due to take place on Wednesday. The same official said the talks would also focus on the timeline for withdrawal, with a final decision expected only in the closing days of the meetings on Thursday.

The proposal matters because it touches one of the most sensitive stretches of the Israel-Lebanon frontier, where military control has long been contested. Any change in deployment could affect local security and wider regional tensions, especially given the role of Hezbollah in the border area. The plan also underlines the continuing involvement of the United States in trying to shape security arrangements between the two sides.

The discussions come in the aftermath of the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah, which erupted after the Iran-backed group launched attacks on Israel in support of Tehran during the early days of the US-Israeli war on Iran. That background helps explain why the vetting of Lebanese troops is being treated as central to the proposal. It also shows why any practical change on the ground is likely to be narrow, closely monitored and tied to external verification.

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For Lebanon, the issue is tied to the role of the Lebanese Armed Forces as a national institution and to the state's ability to assert authority in the south. For Israel, the reported plan would preserve a security buffer while testing whether Lebanese state forces can take on more responsibility. The involvement of Washington suggests that any progress would depend on guarantees and oversight as much as on agreement between the two governments.

It remains unclear how far the talks have advanced, whether either side has formally endorsed the pilot, and what exact area would be covered. The report does not say when any vetting process would begin or how the arrangement would interact with existing military positions. The next point to watch is whether the Washington meetings produce a concrete framework and whether both sides accept the safeguards needed to make it workable.

Israel and Lebanon are discussing a US-backed pilot project that would transfer control of part of southern Lebanon from Israeli troops to the Lebanese Armed Forces, according to three Israeli officials cited in the report. The proposal is focused on a limited area in the south and would not amount to a full withdrawal of Israeli forces. Under the plan, Israel would keep a military presence in the security zone while Lebanese troops take on some control duties.

The officials said Lebanese soldiers involved in the initiative would undergo training and a vetting process led by the United States. That screening is intended to ensure they do not have links to Hezbollah, the armed group that has long been a central factor in security calculations along the border. The report did not give a timetable for the pilot or say how many troops or how much territory would be involved.

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The discussion comes against the backdrop of a sensitive border area where military control has remained contested and where any change in deployment can affect both local security and wider regional tensions. A limited transfer of authority could be seen as an attempt to test whether Lebanese state forces can assume a greater role without creating new risks for Israel. It also highlights the continuing influence of the United States in efforts to shape security arrangements between the two sides.

The southern Lebanon frontier has for years been shaped by the presence of Hezbollah, Israeli military operations and periodic cross-border escalation. In that context, the idea of vetting and training Lebanese troops reflects concern in Israel and among its partners that any new arrangement must reduce, rather than increase, the risk of armed groups gaining access to the area. The proposal also suggests that any practical change on the ground would likely be narrow and closely monitored.

For Lebanon, the issue touches on the role of the Lebanese Armed Forces as a national institution and on the state's ability to assert authority in the south. For Israel, the reported plan would preserve a security buffer while exploring whether local forces can take on more responsibility. The involvement of the United States indicates that any progress would depend on external guarantees and verification mechanisms, not only on bilateral agreement.

It remains unclear how far the talks have advanced, whether either government has formally endorsed the pilot, and what exact area would be covered. The report also does not say when the vetting process would begin or how the arrangement would interact with existing military positions. What to watch next is whether the discussions produce a concrete framework, and whether the parties can agree on safeguards that both sides see as credible.

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