BEIRUT, Lebanon: Lebanese army troops began moving into the southern town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh on July 21 after Israeli forces pulled out of the area, a senior Lebanese security official said.
The move is part of a plan brokered by the United States.
The plan aims for the Lebanese army to take weapons from the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in parts of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops withdraw in stages.
The Israeli military said on July 20 that the plan, known as the pilot zone program, had started. It did not give any further comment the following day.
The transfer of control in this area is the first major test of the plan. Lebanon hopes the agreement will help it regain control over a strip of land about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) deep that is still occupied by Israeli forces.
In this area, dozens of villages have been destroyed, and key public services have been badly damaged. This includes hospitals, power stations and water systems. Tens of thousands of residents who lived there have not been able to return to their homes.
The most recent fighting between Hezbollah and Israel began in early March, two days after the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran. Hezbollah said at the time that its actions were in support of Tehran.
The Lebanese army said its units started deploying in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, in the Nabatieh region, on July 21.
The army again warned residents not to return to the town yet until the situation becomes stable. It also asked people to follow the instructions of the military units on the ground for their safety.
The Israeli military confirmed on July 20 that it was repositioning its forces as part of the pilot program.
An Israeli military official said the pilot program is meant to test whether the Lebanese Armed Forces can exercise full authority in the three selected villages, as the only official force allowed to carry weapons in the area.
Israeli officials have expressed doubts about whether Lebanon can successfully disarm Hezbollah. However, they see the agreement reached in June as an important step toward achieving long-term peace with Lebanon.
