Approaching the Big Test in Rome: Will the Lebanese Army Replace the IDF in the Pilot Zones?
A US delegation landed in Beirut and began talks to prepare the implementation of the Israel-Lebanon agreement, which includes the withdrawal of the IDF from areas in southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese…
Assessment
The arrival of a U.S. delegation in Beirut signals that diplomatic momentum is building toward a concrete test of the Israel-Lebanon agreement. The core question is whether the Lebanese army can credibly take over areas that Israel's military currently controls, with a summit in Rome scheduled for mid-July as the next milestone. If the Lebanese military cannot assert effective control, the entire framework risks collapse. The outcome will shape whether southern Lebanon stabilizes or returns to active confrontation.