U.S. TEAM ARRIVES IN BEIRUT TO SUPPORT ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH CEASEFIRE

A U.S. military delegation from Central Command has arrived in Lebanon to support implementation of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire framework between Israel and Hezbollah, according to the Financial Times. U.S. and Lebanese officials said the June 26 framework has entered an implementation phase, with technical discussions expected next week in Rome.

The framework calls for a phased Israeli military withdrawal from two zones in southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese Army expected to replace Israeli forces in those areas, according to the Financial Times. Officials said a pilot-zone transfer in southern Lebanon is under discussion, though the exact timing and verification process remain unresolved.

The implementation effort is politically sensitive inside Lebanon. The Financial Times reported that the agreement faces opposition from Hezbollah and from other parts of Lebanon's political spectrum, including objections to provisions that critics say could restrict legal action against Israel for alleged war crimes. Hezbollah was not involved in the negotiations.

The Associated Press reported separately that the deal has deepened internal divisions because it links full Israeli withdrawal to Hezbollah disarmament. Hezbollah and its allies have denounced the arrangement, blocked roads and warned that efforts to enforce disarmament could raise the risk of internal conflict.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has defended the deal as a step toward state sovereignty, according to the Associated Press. Hezbollah-aligned figures have rejected that framing and argued that Lebanon should not accept conditions that force disarmament while Israeli troops remain in southern areas. Ratification or enforcement may require action by Lebanon's cabinet and possibly parliament, both of which remain politically divided.

The ceasefire effort also remains fragile on the ground. The Financial Times reported that recent violence, including an Israeli strike that killed four civilians, has underscored the risk that the implementation track could be disrupted before the Lebanese Army can assume responsibility in targeted areas. U.S. officials said coordination with international partners is intended to help Lebanon restore state authority in the south.

The diplomatic push is unfolding alongside wider regional efforts to reduce pressure after months of conflict involving Iran, Israel, the United States and allied groups. U.S. officials see the Lebanon track as part of a broader attempt to stabilize the northern Israel-Lebanon frontier, though Hezbollah's exclusion from the negotiations complicates enforcement.

The immediate questions are whether next week's Rome technical talks produce a workable verification process, whether the pilot-zone transfer proceeds, and whether Lebanon's political institutions can support implementation without triggering a wider domestic confrontation. The arrival of the U.S. team signals movement from framework diplomacy toward practical enforcement, but the ceasefire remains contested and vulnerable to renewed violence.

Fact-check date: 11 July 2026
Article type: News
Sources: Financial Times, Associated Press, The National, Naharnet