Rubio confirms Jerusalem, Beirut discussing possible scale-back of IDF from Lebanon

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirms that Israel and Lebanon are discussing a potential scale-back of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon as part of the US-mediated negotiations in Washington this week.

“One of the issues that’s been discussed in these negotiations is the creation of pilot zones — specific, defined areas where the Lebanese Armed Forces can go in, take control, and secure that territory, and then move on to the next pilot zone,” Rubio tells reporters during a trip in the Gulf.

Rubio defends Israel’s current buffer zone in southern Lebanon, saying the only reason that it exists is because Hezbollah was using that area to launch rockets and drones at Israel.

“The more of that area that the Lebanese armed forces is able to secure, the less of it is in Hezbollah’s control, the less Israel will be in Lebanon. But that’s the process we’re working to right now with these talks,” Rubio says.

Only limited progress has reportedly been made toward that end, amid significant Israeli frustration with the US decision to agree to a ceasefire in Lebanon as part of the MOU Washington inked with Iran last week.

Frustration with the US is extending across the region, where Rubio currently is, trying to reassure Gulf allies UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain after a war Washington launched left them significantly more exposed to threats from Iran.