BEIRUT — Lebanon’s prime minister visited a battered southern village on Wednesday, as a U.S.-brokered Lebanese-Israeli agreement appears to be taking effect after months of conflict.
Nawaf Salam appeared in Zawtar Al Gharbieh a day after President Joseph Aoun’s historic White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, who pledged to support Lebanon’s government in asserting full state control nationwide.
In late June, Lebanon and Israel signed the agreement, requiring the Lebanese army to deploy in southern areas previously held by Hezbollah, while Israeli forces withdraw from dozens of occupied villages.
Both parties subsequently agreed to establish a pilot zone comprising several villages to evaluate the agreement’s implementation. Although Israeli troops have carried out strikes and ground operations in these towns and villages, none are formally under their control, and the Lebanese army has also maintained a limited presence there.
The recent conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began on March 2, when the group launched rockets at Israel in support of Iran, its principal patron. Israel responded with an extensive air campaign and ground invasion, resulting in over 4,000 deaths and the displacement of 1.2 million people.
Lebanon’s highest political authorities condemned Hezbollah for dragging the nation into another war and also criticized Israel for its extensive bombing and ground invasion.
Salam, together with Lebanon’s defense minister and senior military officials, raised a Lebanese flag beside a ruined building in the town, pledging that the government will begin rebuilding damaged homes and infrastructure.
“We have maintained from the start that our objective is the total withdrawal of Israeli forces from all Lebanese territory,” Salam said. “What we see today is only the beginning; we remain resolute and will continue to mobilize all political and diplomatic efforts to achieve a full withdrawal from all Lebanese land.”
Hezbollah has denounced the government for engaging directly with Israel and rejected the agreement, though it has refrained from any military sabotage. Its leadership argues that Israel cannot be compelled to withdraw solely through diplomatic pressure and that Lebanon lacks the leverage provided by its ally Iran in negotiations.
During his meeting with Aoun, Trump did not elaborate on the pilot zone’s implementation but reaffirmed his commitment to support Lebanon.
Aoun and the Lebanese government have called on the international community to invest in the nation and its armed forces to aid reconstruction of infrastructure and strengthen military capacity.