Lebanon presses for timetable on Israeli withdrawal as Hezbollah attacks talks

Lebanon's prime minister is pressing for a clear timetable for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory, as the country's political and security debate intensifies over the direction of negotiations. The latest exchanges centre on the military track of a framework involving United States officials and developments in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has publicly criticised the government's approach, saying it is exposing the Lebanese army to pressure.

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According to a statement from the prime minister's office, Nawaf Salam met United States ambassador to Beirut Michel Issa and General Joseph Clearfield, who heads the US military coordination group for Lebanon. The talks covered the negotiation framework with Israel and the latest developments in the south. Salam said Israel should stop destruction operations, expand the scope of pilot areas and set a clear timetable for withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri also met the same US officials separately. He said Israel had not stopped its violations and attacks on Lebanon, citing village demolitions, bulldozed farmland, forest fires and damage to heritage sites. Berri said stability depended on forcing Israel to stop its war and withdraw to the international border.

Issa described the talks as positive and said negotiations would continue, but he did not give a date for the next round. The dispute matters because it sits at the intersection of diplomacy, military deployment and the future of southern Lebanon. Lebanese officials are seeking guarantees on withdrawal and an end to destruction on the ground, while Hezbollah is warning that the process could place the army in a difficult position.

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The exchange also shows how any negotiation framework is being judged not only by its political terms, but by whether it can reduce pressure along the border and in affected villages. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem sharply criticised Beirut's approach, accusing officials of putting the army under undue pressure by implementing what he called a non-functional agreement. He said the army was being exposed to bombardment and Israeli pressure rather than protected.

Qassem also accused Israel of trying to bind Lebanon to an oversight body that would control the army's deployment and internal operations. Qassem pointed to continued Israeli strikes in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, described as the first designated pilot zone, saying homes were still being hit and tunnels demolished despite the Lebanese army's presence there. He challenged officials to name a single achievement from seven rounds of negotiations.

What remains unclear is whether the talks can produce a timetable acceptable to Beirut, whether the next round will be scheduled soon, and whether the current framework can reduce violence and destruction on the ground.

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