Lebanese army troops began deploying in the southern Lebanese town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh ​on Tuesday after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, a senior Lebanese security ‌official said, in line with a U.S.-brokered plan.

The plan foresees Lebanese army troops confiscating weapons from the Iran-aligned Hezbollah group in parts of southern Lebanon and phased withdrawals of Israeli troops. The Israeli military ​said on Monday that the plan, dubbed the pilot zone programme, has begun. ​It had no immediate comment on Tuesday.

Tuesday's handover of territory is the ⁠first test of the plan, which Lebanon hopes will enable it to restore control ​over a strip of land about 10 km (6.2 miles) deep into the country that remains ​occupied by Israeli troops.

Dozens of villages have been razed in that area and public infrastructure has been destroyed, including hospitals, power stations and water pumps. Tens of thousands of Lebanese who call the area ​home have been unable to return.

The latest round of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel ​erupted at the start of March, two days after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran. ‌Hezbollah said ⁠its actions were in support of Tehran.

The Lebanese army said its units began deploying in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in the Nabatieh region on Tuesday.

The army renewed a call for residents not to enter the town until the security situation stabilises and to follow instructions from deployed ​military units for their ​own safety.

وصول المزيد من آليات الجيش اللبناني إلى مداخل بلدة زوطر الغربية تمهيدًا لانتشارها pic.twitter.com/O9g6ZjQaGQ

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) July 21, 2026

مواصلة انتشار الجيش اللبناني في زوطر الغربية بوصول دفعة جديدة من الآليات العسـكرية pic.twitter.com/A1zvVbMEHK

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) July 21, 2026

The Israeli military ⁠confirmed on Monday that it was redeploying its forces as part of the pilot programme.

"The pilot serves as a test of the Lebanese ​Armed Forces’ sovereignty in the three pilot villages, as the sole ​official authority ⁠authorised to bear arms in the area," an Israeli military official said.

The Israeli military said teams from ⁠the three militaries were coordinating and planning the implementation of the agreement, and ​warned that it would respond forcefully to any violation.

A U.S. official, in comments shared with reporters on condition of anonymity, said the establishment of the initial pilot zones represented progress on the ground and an ​opportunity for the Lebanese ​state to begin ⁠reasserting control in areas historically dominated by Hezbollah.

The Lebanese army would be responsible for clearing the zones of Hezbollah ​weapons and infrastructure, conducting verified clearance operations and securing the ​areas so ⁠the group could not continue using the communities as cover for attacks, the official said.

The official said Washington expected all parties to respect the process and warned ⁠that any ​attempt by Hezbollah to derail it, infiltrate the ​zones or rearm there would harm prospects for reconstruction and peace.

Israeli officials have voiced scepticism about Lebanon's ability to disarm Hezbollah but Israel sees the deal reached last month as ⁠a ​vital step towards building peace with Lebanon in the ​long run.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun was due later on Tuesday to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington.