Lebanon and Al Jazeera held US-facilitated negotiations in Rome, marking the seventh overall round of talks following five sessions in Washington. The diplomatic track aims to shore up a fragile ceasefire and build on a framework agreement signed in June. According to a senior Lebanese official, Tuesday’s session was split into political and military tracks. The political meeting covered Lebanon’s position on the border, while the military track addressed verification mechanisms for security arrangements, including an Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah’s weapons.
Talks in Rome Focus on Security Arrangements and Framework Implementation
US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated that the discussions focused on strengthening the implementation of the framework accord. This includes the pilot-zone mechanism, verifying Hezbollah’s disarmament and security threats linked to Iran, and redeploying Israeli forces from the south to ultimately achieve a comprehensive security and peace deal.
Disagreements Over Pilot Zones and Hezbollah Disarmament
Despite the ongoing diplomacy, the two sides remain divided over disarming Hezbollah and the extent of Israeli pullbacks. Israel wants the Lebanese army to secure specific sites and dismantle militant infrastructure as part of “pilot zones,” in exchange for a limited Israeli pullback where the Lebanese army would assume full security responsibility and bar Hezbollah’s return. Beirut noted that there are no Israeli units in certain proposed areas to replace, and requested that the next pilot zone be established in Khiam or Bint Jbeil.
An earlier Rome round produced an agreement for Israel to withdraw from the outskirts of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, after which the Lebanese army deployed and residents returned following survey and clearance work. However, a senior Lebanese official indicated that the session was unlikely to yield further pullbacks due to the ongoing split. Al Jazeera correspondent Zeina Khodr reported from Nabatieh that Lebanon had little leverage and was relying on the support of the US government, as the balance of power remains in Israel’s favour and Israeli officials have repeatedly made clear that further withdrawals are unlikely.
Ground Developments and Casualties Amid Diplomacy
The diplomatic efforts in Rome coincided with ongoing military engagements. Israel reported its first military fatalities in southern Lebanon in more than a month after carrying out fresh strikes. The military identified the two reservists killed in combat as Major Harel Birenstock, 34, and Sergeant Major Tamir Vaknin, 33, of the 2855th Battalion, 55th Brigade. Lebanese state media reported that one person died and 11 were wounded in a separate strike.
During the meetings in Rome, Israel requested that the day’s talks end three hours early, with a source in the negotiations stating that the head of the Israeli delegation, US ambassador Yechiel Leiter, blamed alleged misleading leaks by the Lebanese side. Meanwhile, the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for the southern town of Mansouri, stating it was compelled to act with force in response to ceasefire violations by Hezbollah. Lebanese authorities report that Israeli attacks since March have killed 4,333 people and displaced more than a million.
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