The Lebanese army is operating in the pilot zones in southern Lebanon under three strict self-imposed restrictions that significantly limit its ability to establish effective control on the ground, as no clear international verification mechanism has been put in place, security sources told MBN.
The first restriction prohibits the army from responding to any Israeli provocation, regardless of its nature. That was evident after Lebanese troops entered one of the pilot zones, the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, on Tuesday afternoon and did not respond when an Israeli drone dropped bunker-busting munitions.
According to the sources, the army’s instructions explicitly call for avoiding any retaliation in order to prevent a broader confrontation that Israel could seek to provoke.
Another provision curbing the Lebanese Armed Forces in its delicate mission is the absence of an effective verification mechanism.
During technical negotiations with U.S. officials, several countries were proposed to oversee compliance in the process of handing over Hezbollah military sites in the region is from Israeli to LAF control. At one stage, Israel signaled preliminary acceptance of an Italian role, perhaps explaining why a subsequent meeting was held in Italy.
Israeli officials ultimately rejected even the Italian proposal, while U.S. officials expressed reservations about participating directly in a verification committee.
But without such a mechanism, the sources said, Israel would retain room to argue in the future that conditions on the ground have not changed and that the Lebanese army has failed to establish full control over the area.
The third restriction comes in the form of standing orders for Lebanese troops to withdraw whenever they encounter Israeli forces.
Under the army’s instructions, Lebanese units must stay clear of any area entered by the Israeli military.
If Israeli forces return to Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, Froun or any other location, Lebanese troops are required to pull back to avoid direct confrontation and to prevent any perception that the two armies are coordinating or operating under a mutual understanding.
On the ground, Israeli forces have not carried out a full withdrawal from that pilot zone.
In Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, Israeli forces maintained fire control over the area rather than a permanent physical presence, helping explain the absence of images showing a withdrawal or any clear change in the military situation.
In another pilot zone, in Froun and the surrounding area, the Lebanese army was already maintaining positions that have remained largely unchanged.
Adapted and translated from the original Arabic.
