Aoun heads to Trump talks as Lebanon seeks Israel withdrawal and army support

Beirut,UPDATED: Jul 21, 2026 11:02 IST

Lebanon President Joseph Aoun is due to meet US President Donald Trump on Tuesday at the end of a four-day visit to Washington, as Beirut pushes for long-term calm after months of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

The meeting comes as Lebanon and Israel continue rare direct talks mediated by Washington. Lebanon wants the talks to lead to an Israeli withdrawal from large parts of southern Lebanon and greater support for the Lebanese military so it can take full control of areas where Hezbollah had long held sway.

On June 26, Lebanon and Israel announced a “framework agreement” that sets out a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon and for Hezbollah to be disarmed. It also outlines steps towards an eventual peace agreement between the two sides, which have never had formal diplomatic ties and have remained nominally at war for nearly 80 years since Israel’s establishment.

The US State Department said on Monday that operations had begun in three villages marked as part of a “pilot zone”, though it did not give details. The villages are Froun, Srifa and Zawtar al-Gharbieh, none of which are under Israeli military control. There was no immediate statement from either the Lebanese or Israeli military or political leadership after the announcement.

Aoun met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday. Rubio said Washington would continue to back the Lebanese agreement and support its full implementation. He described the meeting as “very positive” and said Lebanon will “never be fully at peace” unless the Hezbollah issue is resolved.

“How do you replace Hezbollah? You defeat and replace them with a government that is strong enough to be the sole force of arms in the country,” Rubio said after the meeting. As some in Lebanon fear that any military confrontation with Hezbollah could trigger a civil war, government officials have also called for investment in the country’s damaged infrastructure to strengthen the weakened state. Rubio echoed that view, saying, “This is not just about military stuff. This is about how can we attract more US and international investment into Lebanon.”

Last week, the Lebanese military increased its presence in some of the areas expected to be included in the pilot zone, including the three villages, with troops patrolling and setting up checkpoints. Though recent talks in Rome suggested that implementation of the agreement could begin soon, Israeli troops have not withdrawn from the areas they control. Israeli officials have meanwhile said they plan to keep forces in a long-term “security zone” in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah has rejected the direct talks brokered by the United States and has instead backed Washington’s talks with its key ally Iran to end their war, with calm in Lebanon linked to that process. Lebanon’s government, which came to power on a reformist platform in early 2025, has promised to disarm all non-state groups, including Hezbollah. It blames Hezbollah for dragging the country into another war with Israel in March after the group fired several rockets towards northern Israel following US and Israeli attacks on Iran. At the same time, Beirut’s leadership has criticised Israel’s later ground invasion and large aerial campaign, which killed more than 4,000 people and displaced 1.2 million others. Lebanese leaders say that for any lasting security arrangement to work, Israel must withdraw and the international community must financially support Lebanon’s cash-strapped army.

As Aoun prepares to meet Trump, Lebanon is seeking both Israeli withdrawal and stronger backing for its armed forces, while the US says it will continue to support the framework agreement and its full implementation.

With PTI Inputs

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