Washington, D.C. [US], July 21 (ANI): US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington has “concrete plans” to help Lebanon oust Hezbollah while confirming that Israeli forces are currently “redeploying” from parts of southern Lebanon.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office alongside Lebanese President Joseph Aoun during a high-level bilateral meeting, Trump said Lebanon has been “badly treated” for too long and pledged greater international support and stability for the country.
“We’re going to have it properly treated and treated with the respect that it deserves. And, Mr. President, it’s an honor having you,” Trump said.
Discussing Hezbollah, Trump said he and President Aoun would review specific plans for US assistance to Lebanon.
“We’ll be speaking about that today with your president, and we have some very concrete plans already in store for that, with others going in and helping. But they’re also becoming much more self-sufficient, and we will be speaking about that,” Trump said.
Addressing developments on the ground, Trump said Israel is “redeploying” its forces to other areas of southern Lebanon as the second day of its planned withdrawal from designated “pilot zones” continues.
Trump said the Israel Defense Forces are “in the process” of withdrawing from Lebanon following the US State Department’s announcement that pilot zone operations had begun in the villages of Froun, Srifa and Zawtar Al-Gharbiya under the Trilateral Framework, following recent discussions between Israel and Lebanon.
“That was a great agreement they signed with Lebanon,” Trump said, adding that Israeli forces are “redeploying.”
Trump also said he would be open to direct talks with Hezbollah if requested by the Lebanese government.
“I would speak to Hezbollah. I speak to everybody,” he said, adding that he would do so if President Aoun asked.
Asked about regional normalization efforts, Trump praised the Abraham Accords and suggested that more countries could soon join the framework.
“The Abraham Accords have been, I think, a tremendous success. I think you’re going to see a lot of countries joining pretty soon. As you know, we have our original group, and it’s so successful for them… I think Lebanon has a very important place,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Army claimed that Israeli forces opened fire near Lebanese troops as they deployed in the southern town of Zawtar Al-Gharbiya in the Nabatieh district.
In a post on X, the army command said, “During the implementation by the military units of the deployment operation in the western town of Zawtar Al-Gharbiya, Nabatieh, Israeli occupation forces opened fire in the vicinity of these units.”
The Lebanese Army said the alleged Israeli actions jeopardize the implementation of the deployment plan and the agreed framework.
“The army command confirms that this aggression will obstruct the implementation of deployment steps in the pilot areas being conducted within the framework of communications with the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon (MCG4L),” it added. (ANI)
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