US Rejects Idea of Permanent Israeli Military Presence in Lebanon

Israeli Hiram Brigade 769 doc in southern Lebanon. (Source: IDF)

JAKARTA - The Donald Trump administration does not support a permanent Israeli military presence in Lebanon, according to a State Department official to Al Arabiya English.

The statement made this week came hours after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz hinted that Israeli forces would remain in the security zone in the Lebanese region.

"The United States expects all parties to act in accordance with the agreed Framework, and Israel has made it clear that it has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon," the official said, launching Al Arabiya (13/8).

The official was referring to the US-brokered ceasefire framework between Lebanon and Israel - agreed to earlier this summer - which demands a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon as well as the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

Earlier, speaking from southern Lebanon on Monday morning, Katz said Israeli forces "will stay here."

"As I and the prime minister have emphasized very clearly, we will not withdraw from this security zone," Katz said.

Furthermore, he then highlighted the total destruction of houses and villages in southern Lebanon which were claimed as infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah.

"The permanent military presence in southern Lebanon is not in line with the commitments made in the Framework, nor with the long-term peace and security of both countries," said a US State Department official, adding that Washington fully supports Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

US officials have previously used the term "redeployment" when asked if Israeli forces could remain in Lebanese territory under certain conditions.

Based on the framework, a condition-based process for the "gradual redeployment" of Israeli forces is associated with the verified disarmament of Hezbollah and the dismantling of its military infrastructure.

It is known that Israel has repeatedly accused the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) of failing to make adequate efforts to disarm Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Beirut argues that Israel's military operations and its continued presence in Lebanese territory complicate the process.

In recent weeks, the first pilot zone has been formed in southern Lebanon, where the LAF will take control of areas previously occupied by Israeli forces and Hezbollah.

"The Lebanese Armed Forces are implementing the initial phase in pilot zones, and the United States will continue to support the full implementation of the process," said a US State Department official.

This statement was made amid Washington's efforts to advance a broader framework through direct talks between Lebanon and Israel.

US officials assessed that the recent technical discussions were constructive, while acknowledging significant political and security obstacles to their implementation.

Washington seeks to link the redeployment of Israeli forces with the real progress made by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in enforcing state authority and removing Hezbollah infrastructure, while supporting Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

This US position puts his administration at odds with any notion that would allow Israel to maintain an indefinite military presence in southern Lebanon, even as Washington continues to press for the fulfillment of security conditions deemed necessary for the withdrawal of Israeli forces.