IDF Completes Pilot Withdrawal as Lebanese Army Deploys in Zawtar

Israeli forces completed a localized withdrawal from Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, enabling Lebanese Armed Forces units to begin deploying in the Nabatieh-area town. The handover is the first field test of the U.S.-brokered pilot-zone program agreed by Israel and Lebanon. Under the plan, the Lebanese army is to become the sole armed authority in the pilot villages and clear Hezbollah weapons and infrastructure. Lebanese commanders warned residents not to enter Zawtar until the security situation stabilizes and told them to follow instructions from deployed troops.