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Pilot zones and strikes
In southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera described a so-called “pilot zone” where the US and Israel say they want foreign observers to verify that Hezbollah is not operating.
“the “pilot zones” process remained “the only viable path towards achieving long-term peace and security for Lebanon and Israel””
Arab News reported that a US State Department spokesperson told Asharq on Saturday that the “pilot zones” process remained “the only viable path towards achieving long-term peace and security for Lebanon and Israel”.
Arab News said Israel continued its attacks on southern Lebanon on Saturday, killing nine people and injuring 11 others, with the Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accusing Israel of undermining efforts to stabilise the south.
The same Arab News report said Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israel struck a house in the southern town of Ansar, killing seven people and injuring three others and destroying the building.
Naharnet reported that an Israeli military source said the Lebanese Army’s search operations in the pilot zones were “partial,” adding that “it has not entered private property” there.
Competing claims and quotes
In the pilot-zone framework, Arab News said the US official stressed that Hezbollah’s disarmament was “an integral part” of the process and described Hezbollah as the “main obstacle” to Lebanon’s economic recovery and the “greatest threat” to its security and stability.
i24NEWS quoted a US State Department spokesperson telling it that “the pilot-zone process remains the only viable path toward long-term peace and security for Lebanon and Israel.”
Naharnet reported that the Israeli military source charged that “Hezbollah is undermining the implementation of the framework agreement with Lebanon,” accusing Hezbollah of “violating the ceasefire and continuing to use force within the security zone in southern Lebanon.”
Arab News said Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam responded to an Israeli military statement by saying the victims were “not military infrastructure,” after reporting on the strikes in Ansar and elsewhere.
Al Jazeera’s segment framing also focused on the verification goal, with the report describing the “pilot zones” as an area where foreign observers are sought to confirm that Hezbollah is not operating.
Guarantees, missions, and risks
Ash-Sharq al-Awsat reported that countries proposed to participate in any alternative international mission to UNIFIL or in verification mechanisms in the model areas in southern Lebanon are seeking security guarantees from both Israel and Hezbollah.
“seek prior approval from Hezbollah to engage in any mission in the south”
The same report said Lebanese sources accompanying the discussions with European countries stated that the proposed countries “seek prior approval from Hezbollah to engage in any mission in the south and require that Hezbollah not object.”
Ash-Sharq al-Awsat added that the sources said the proposed countries also require a halt to Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory within their areas of operation, and that “under the current attacks there is no progress on any of the files on the table”.
It also reported that Italy has the best odds for the verification mechanism, noting that Italy previously contributed 738 soldiers to UNIFIL and currently leads the international force in south Lebanon under the supervision of Italian General Diodato Abignari.
Arab News said the US official expected the Lebanese army to complete risk-removal operations in the initial pilot zones and expand the process once completion is verified, while Hezbollah’s disarmament was described as integral to that expansion.