Lebanese and Israeli military officers are expected to meet at the Pentagon on May 29 as part of a new phase in U.S.-mediated negotiations focused on southern Lebanon and Hezbollah’s weapons. 

The proposed meeting, requested by the American mediator during the third round of negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli delegations, would mark a significant expansion of the diplomatic track into a direct military-security framework. Hezbollah’s arsenal is expected to dominate the agenda, although Lebanese officials remain focused on securing an Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas in southern Lebanon before discussing broader security arrangements.

The move is intended to establish parallel military coordination alongside the political negotiations already underway between Lebanon and Israel, amid growing international efforts to stabilize the southern front after months of escalating conflict.

The discussions come against the backdrop of repeated Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon and continued tensions along the border, despite ceasefire efforts and ongoing diplomacy.

According to sources familiar with the talks cited by Annahar, Washington proposed separating future negotiations into two parallel tracks — political and military — with the aim of eventually merging both into a broader agreement if negotiations progress.

The approach, however, is expected to face strong opposition from Hezbollah, which has already rejected the negotiation process and is likely to object even more forcefully to any direct military framework involving Lebanese and Israeli officers.

Lebanese Army Preparing Pentagon Delegation

The Lebanese Army has already begun preparations for the anticipated Pentagon meeting under the supervision of President Joseph Aoun and Lebanese Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal.

The delegation is expected to include several Lebanese officers alongside Lebanon’s military attaché in Washington, Brig. Gen. Oliver Hakmeh.

It remains unclear whether the delegation will include Shiite officers, amid reports that some officers from different sectarian backgrounds could decline participation because of the political sensitivity surrounding the talks. Observers nevertheless note that Shiite officers previously participated in the May 17, 1983 negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.

Pentagon officials are believed to be highly familiar with Lebanon’s senior military leadership, particularly officers who attended training programs and military courses in the United States.

Political and military observers describe the prospect of Lebanese and Israeli officers meeting directly as highly sensitive inside Lebanon, where any form of official contact with Israel remains deeply controversial.

Some analysts following the negotiations believe it would have been politically easier to keep Brig. Gen. Hakmeh solely within the diplomatic delegation headed by Ambassador Simon Karam, rather than move toward an overt military-security track.

According to those observers, the Pentagon discussions are not expected to be symbolic or procedural. Instead, the talks are likely to focus on practical security mechanisms tied to Hezbollah’s military infrastructure and the implementation of Lebanese government decisions concerning the group’s armed wing.

Israeli officials are expected to present intelligence and maps identifying Hezbollah military positions in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley that Israeli ground and air operations have failed to destroy during months of fighting.

Israeli officials reportedly attribute the survival of some sites to difficult terrain, underground infrastructure and extensive military precautions taken by Hezbollah.

The discussions reflect a broader conclusion reached by both Washington and Tel Aviv after months of war: despite extensive Israeli military operations and the occupation of dozens of southern Lebanese towns, Hezbollah’s military capabilities have not been fully dismantled.

Focus on Hezbollah Weapons

At the center of the proposed military talks are plans for special security arrangements concerning Hezbollah’s weapons across southern Lebanon and beyond.

According to information obtained by Annahar, the American side intends to discuss mechanisms covering areas south of the Litani River as well as regions north of it, extending into the Bekaa Valley, which Israeli officials frequently describe as a major hub for missile and drone infrastructure.

Israeli political and military officials have repeatedly highlighted the Bekaa issue in recent statements, portraying it as central to any future security arrangement.

Sources following the negotiations say Pentagon officials are also studying proposals to create a specialized Lebanese Army force tasked specifically with overseeing weapons inspections and enforcement measures.

The proposed framework could involve operational coordination mechanisms allowing Israeli officers to monitor Lebanese Army inspection and search operations through a joint operations room operating under American supervision.

The mechanism under discussion is said to build on and expand previous monitoring arrangements established after earlier ceasefire agreements.

For now, Lebanese officials continue to insist that any broader security arrangement must begin with a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanese territory and a halt to ongoing military operations.