Israel braces for possible US demand to withdraw from southern Lebanon: Report

Israel is taking into account the possibility of a future US demand for a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from areas in southern Lebanon, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported Monday.

KAN said a new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is set to begin Tuesday to discuss initial arrangements for a possible Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon as part of a pilot program for the Lebanese army.

The talks are expected to take place under US mediation and with the participation of the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors alongside three Israeli brigadier generals, the broadcaster said.

It also reported that Israeli forces have begun repositioning and reorganizing troops on the ground over the past 24 hours while awaiting decisions from the political leadership.

KAN cited unnamed Israeli sources as saying that Israel was taking into account the possibility that the Israeli army could be asked by an American decision to gradually withdraw from certain areas in the so-called security zone, allowing the Lebanese army to return as a confidence-building measure.

It added that the United States had approved the creation of a mechanism to monitor ceasefire violations in Lebanon involving Iran and Qatar without Israeli participation.

According to Israeli sources cited by the broadcaster, Israel’s exclusion from the mechanism stemmed from Iran’s involvement.

Earlier Monday, Israel’s Channel 13 quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that Washington had recently made clear to Israel that its previous freedom to operate militarily in Lebanon without restrictions had come to an end.

The Maariv newspaper also reported growing differences between the United States and Israel over the Lebanese file, saying Washington views southern Lebanon within a broader regional framework linked to the Strait of Hormuz, energy prices, the Iranian nuclear issue and the Trump administration’s pursuit of a diplomatic achievement.

In contrast, Israel believes that any early withdrawal from southern Lebanon could be interpreted as a sign of weakness and a reward for the Hezbollah group.

The developments came after Iran and the US held 18 hours of negotiations in Switzerland under Pakistani and Qatari mediation to discuss unresolved provisions of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, including the cessation of hostilities on all fronts, among them Lebanon.

Israel’s military offensive in Lebanon has killed more than 4,000 people, injured over 12,000 and displaced over 1 million residents since March 2, according to Lebanese authorities.
Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023–2024 war.

*Writing by Tarek Chouiref