The U.S. plans to deepen its footprint in Lebanon as part of a ceasefire deal aimed at ending more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. According to the details of the agreement, shared with the Middle East Eye by current and former U.S. and Arab officials, during the 60-day ceasefire, all Israeli forces will gradually withdraw from Lebanon, with Hezbollah moving north of the Litan River.
The agreement, announced late on Tuesday night, is broadly based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah and was supposed to see the Lebanese army and UN Interim Force (Unifil) sent to southern Lebanon.
According to the agreement, the Lebanese army, with the help of Unifil, will be deployed to the south to ensure that Hezbollah does not re-enter the area between the Israeli border and Litan.
“By day 60, there will be no Israeli or Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon,” a high-ranking Arab official told the Middle East Eye.
With the deal, which aims to end more than a year of fighting that has claimed more than 3,700 lives in Lebanon, the U.S. will also deploy technical military advisers to Lebanon and see Washington provide additional funds to the Lebanese army.
The U.S. will also oversee the withdrawal of Hezbollah troops, and a military official — likely from Central Command (Centcom) — will head an international committee coordinating with hundreds of soon-to-be-deployed French soldiers as part of a reinforced UN peacekeeping mission.
A senior U.S. official told the MEE that Israel would not be given the right to attack because of suspicious movements in Lebanon. Israel must report any movement it considers suspicious to the International Committee, which in turn will inform the Lebanese army that the necessary measures have been taken.
If the Lebanese army does not act after receiving a complaint about suspicious activity south of Litan or in any area of Lebanon, Israel will deny the agreement and continue its attacks on Lebanon.
The U.S. is not expected to send additional troops to the ground. Instead, the pending ceasefire is expected to expand the 10,000-strong Unifil peacekeeping mission. According to a former U.S. and Arab official, hundreds of French soldiers are expected in Lebanon as part of Unifil.
The agreement also deepens ongoing U.S. efforts to support the Lebanese military. The U.S. began funding the Lebanese army in 2005 after a protest movement prompted Syrian troops to be withdrawn from the country.
Over the past 20 years, Washington has been the army’s largest donor, providing more than $2.5 billion in military support, considered a national institution that bridges sectarian and political divisions.
Sources told the MEE that the army has already recruited 1,500 soldiers and is trying to bring about 3,500 more on board over the next four months.
The U.S. is also increasing training, equipment, and refunds for the military. Washington is also talking to Saudi Arabia and Qatar about allocating money to Lebanese forces to pay extra salaries. Qatar is already giving money to the money-ravaged Lebanese army, promising $60 million in 2022 to support soldiers’ salaries.
Lebanon was in the midst of a catastrophic financial crisis before Hezbollah began firing rockets and drones at Israel on 8 October 2023 in solidarity with the Palestinians under attack in Gaza.
The ceasefire also includes a renewed commitment to comply with a number of other UN Security Council resolutions, including 1559 and 1680, which call for the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Unlike other Lebanese armed groups, Hezbollah held his arms after the 1975–90 civil war to continue the fight against the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. Although Israel mostly surrendered in 2000, it continues to occupy shebaa farms, which Hezbollah says are Lebanese.
Hezbollah’s year-long attacks have ousted about 60,000 Israelis from their homes in northern Israel. At the same time, the bombing of Israel and the ground invasion that began in October have forced more than a million people to flee in Lebanon.
