Lebanese President Joseph Aoun presented U.S. President Donald Trump with a written proposal to dismantle Hezbollah's arsenal during their meeting at the White House on Tuesday, after arriving in Washington for the first visit by a Lebanese head of state since 2009.
Trump said the two sides would make progress and ensure Lebanon is treated properly, while Aoun bet that Trump alone holds the leverage to press Israel into withdrawing and restoring Beirut's sovereignty. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who met Aoun on Sunday, said Lebanon cannot find peace while the weapons issue persists.
On the ground, the Lebanese army began deploying to Zawtar al-Gharbieh in the Nabatieh region on Tuesday as part of the June 26 framework agreement, while the U.S. State Department said operations had started in three pilot-zone villages, two of which are not under Israeli control. Hezbollah has rejected direct talks and efforts to disarm it.