The Lebanese Armed Forces have begun assuming security control of three villages in southern Lebanon, marking the first concrete step under a US-mediated framework agreement reached between Lebanon, Israel and the United States on June 26.
Operations for the so-called pilot zones commenced in Froun, Srifa and Zawtar al-Gharbiya, the US State Department said Monday, describing the move as a direct result of Israeli-Lebanese talks in Rome last week. However, a security source told Al Jazeera that Lebanese troops had not yet deployed to Zawtar al-Gharbiya because Israeli forces have not withdrawn from the area.
The rollout comes a day before Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump. Since March, 4,328 Lebanese have been killed and more than a million displaced, according to Lebanon's health ministry.