Lebanon is rejecting U.S.-backed proposals for its armed forces to coordinate directly with the Israeli military, Lebanese officials told The National ahead of renewed talks between the two countries in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday, with little progress expected before Israel’s parliamentary elections next week.

The latest round of direct negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli military delegations follows a decision last month to separate the political and military tracks of the talks. The immediate objective is to negotiate an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, while Israel continues to insist that Hezbollah must be disarmed as a condition for pulling out.

Lebanese officials remain opposed to direct military coordination with Israel and say any future arrangements must retain U.S. mediation and third-party oversight.

“The issue keeps coming up, but we always tell them, ‘No, we will not do that,’” a Lebanese political official close to the discussions told The National.

“There are Israelis and Lebanese, with the Americans in the middle. That’s it, and that’s how it will remain. Our position has always been that there should be a third party for verification,” the official added.

The dispute centers on a proposed verification mechanism intended to monitor implementation of agreements in so-called “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon. Under the arrangement, Hezbollah would disarm in designated areas, Israeli forces would withdraw, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) would assume control.

But the initiative has made little progress since the first pilot zones were established in July. The process remains untested, with no agreed mechanism to verify compliance by all sides. Critics have also noted that the initial zones did not have an Israeli military presence to begin with.

Israel continues to demand Hezbollah’s disarmament before withdrawing and has questioned whether the Lebanese army can carry out the task.

Limited expectations ahead of Israeli elections

Political uncertainty in Israel is adding to the deadlock. Lebanese officials expect little movement on the most contentious issues before Israel’s parliamentary elections, scheduled for October 27.

“There’s no real political track between [Lebanon and Israel] because there’s a dead end until it’s clear what the new government in Israel will be,” a political source told The National, warning that the election of a hard-line government could prolong the impasse.

One source acknowledged growing pressure on Beirut to demonstrate progress in extending state authority, including by taking limited steps against Hezbollah.

But Lebanese officials who spoke to The National expressed low expectations for Tuesday’s talks, describing them as largely technical and an opportunity to restate Lebanon’s demands for a complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied south.

“We don’t expect any major decisions or an expansion of the pilot zones tomorrow, and the verification mechanism won’t be established,” a military source told the newspaper.

“We will, as usual, shine a light on the [Israeli] aggression and the ceasefire violations, and demand a full withdrawal from the south — the same demands as always,” the source added.