Seventh round of Israel-Lebanon talks begins – what’s on the agenda?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that a seventh round of United States-mediated Israel-Lebanon talks has begun in Rome, with the three-day meetings focused on setting up new “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon. Under the plan, Lebanese forces would take over security in selected areas as Israeli forces gradually withdraw, while wider negotiations continue over Hezbollah’s disarmament and Israel’s continued presence in parts of the south.

The article says delegations from both sides include political, military, legal and technical figures, with Lebanon also bringing maps and deployment plans tied to the first pilot area previously discussed. Lebanese officials cited in the report say they want additional zones considered in the second phase, including areas around Bint Jbeil or Khiam. The article adds that Lebanon’s government is unhappy with the situation on the ground and believes the earlier framework has not delivered the expected results.

According to Al Jazeera, the talks take place against a backdrop of continued Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, despite a conditional ceasefire reached earlier this year. The report says Israeli forces still occupy parts of southern Lebanon and maintain a buffer zone inside Lebanese territory, while Israeli officials say they will stay as long as Hezbollah remains armed. The negotiations matter because they are aimed at turning a fragile framework into a workable withdrawal and security arrangement, but no full Israeli pullback has been agreed so far.