Consultations with the President of the Republic before his departure to Washington and a US military delegation in Beirut to discuss the implementation of the "pilot zones"
Beirut – Mansour Shaaban: The Israeli army has escalated its military operations, targeting homes in villages and towns near the border and in the southern interior through drone strikes, air raids, or psychological intimidation via sound bombs.
In the southern theater, meanwhile, efforts are intensifying to prepare for President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun’s visit to the White House in Washington next week, where he will meet U.S. President Donald Trump. As he consults to gauge the views of those he meets, Aoun recently visited former President General Michel Suleiman. Following the meeting, Suleiman stated: “President Aoun demonstrated his sincere intentions and his determination to liberate Lebanon, a country unique in its democracy, pluralism, and global mission, despite all it has endured in fighting for others’ causes.” He added: “Every loyal and honorable citizen should pray for his success and openly support his steps and defend the decisions of the state he presides over.”
Prior to the visit, a U.S. military delegation arrived in Lebanon, holding meetings with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) command to discuss mechanisms for implementing the Israeli army’s withdrawal from a pilot zone in southern Lebanon, a Lebanese military source told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
A Lebanese military source told AFP: “The U.S. military delegation has arrived and begun meetings with the LAF command to discuss the mechanisms for initiating the first pilot zone from which Israeli forces will withdraw, allowing the Lebanese army to deploy.” The source added: “This is the main mandate carried by the U.S. military delegation to Lebanon... and it represents the translation and implementation of the framework document.”
The Lebanese presidency had previously announced that President Aoun was informed by U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa that the military delegation would soon arrive in Lebanon to oversee the commencement of this withdrawal, in accordance with the agreement’s provisions.
In Washington, a U.S. official stated: “We are now in the implementation phase of the framework.” He added: “The first pilot zone will be launched within days, and maps for additional pilot zones are currently being drawn up and planned.”
Before heading to Washington, Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam visited Turkey at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a working dinner in Istanbul. According to a statement released by Salam’s media office, the meeting underscored “the importance of dialogue and strengthening bilateral cooperation, and working to elevate Lebanese-Turkish relations to the level of a strategic partnership that serves the interests of both countries and contributes to supporting security and stability in the region.” The talks, which included Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, also covered “ways to develop bilateral relations between Lebanon and Turkey in various fields, particularly economic, trade, investment, energy, and infrastructure.”
For his part, Erdogan reiterated “Turkey’s steadfast support for Lebanon and its backing of Lebanon’s efforts to secure Israel’s withdrawal from all its territories, as well as its commitment to preserving the independence of its decision-making, its security, territorial integrity, and stability,” emphasizing “Turkey’s interest in strengthening and developing bilateral cooperation in various fields.”
On the ground, Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani revealed during a wide-ranging tour of the Nabatieh and South governorates, under the initiative “Pulse of the Land and Life” launched to revive the agricultural sector, that “estimates conducted in collaboration with the National Council for Scientific Research and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) showed that the aggression inflicted damage on more than 22.5% of Lebanon’s agricultural land, approximately 56,000 hectares, of which about 52,000 hectares are in the South and Nabatieh governorates. The value of agricultural losses and damages exceeded one billion U.S. dollars following the update of technical studies.”
