Lebanese president set to meet Trump as Beirut seeks Israeli withdrawal

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived in Washington over the weekend to advance negotiations on ending the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The visit marks the first by a Lebanese head of state to the US capital since 2009. Aoun's delegation has already engaged with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who affirmed American support for full implementation of the ceasefire agreement signed in June. Rubio emphasized that resolving the Hezbollah issue is essential for Lebanon's long-term stability and suggested that strengthening Lebanon's government institutions and attracting international investment would be critical components of any lasting peace.

The Israeli military announced on Monday that a gradual withdrawal plan, termed the "pilot zone programme," had commenced. Under this arrangement, Israeli forces will withdraw from select areas in southern Lebanon while maintaining positions in other invaded territories. The plan envisions Lebanese troops confiscating Hezbollah weapons in parts of the south. A senior Lebanese security official confirmed that troops had begun deploying in the southern town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh following an Israeli withdrawal from that location.

However, significant obstacles remain. Hezbollah has rejected direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations and efforts to disarm the organization, while Israel has made complete withdrawal conditional on Hezbollah's full demilitarization. Lebanon's government, which took office in early 2025 on a reformist agenda, has committed to disarming all non-state armed groups. Skeptics within Lebanon worry that military confrontation with Hezbollah could trigger civil conflict, and officials have called for substantial international investment to rebuild the country's damaged infrastructure and strengthen state capacity.