Israel accuses Lebanese army ahead of US-backed talks

TAMPA, Florida — Israel accused elements within the Lebanese army on Tuesday of coordinating with Hezbollah, hours before Lebanon and Israel were due to hold technical military talks in the United States, according to The New Arab.

The Israeli military said the Lebanese army had allowed Hezbollah to anticipate operations and move weapons out of targeted areas in southern Lebanon. It also said the army had failed to dismantle a Hezbollah military site in the south, despite announcing that it had taken the necessary measures there. The Israeli military said the army was responsible for fully implementing the security arrangements and should take more decisive steps to stop Hezbollah from keeping weapons and military infrastructure in the south.

The Lebanese army responded through its official channels. In a post on Telegram, the army said the Israeli military had made baseless claims about its operations in the area south of the Litani river. The Telegram post was published by Al Jazeera Arabic, and the army's wording has not been independently confirmed in a separate statement.

The Lebanese army has repeatedly said that Israel's continued occupation and attacks in the south have hindered its efforts to extend state authority and bring weapons under exclusive state control.

Retired Lebanese Brig. Gen. Bassam Yassin told The New Arab that the accusations were meant to create tension before the talks. "The intention is certainly to create tension around the negotiations and put the army in a position where it has to defend itself," Yassin said. He added that the Lebanese delegation was expected to focus on technical issues, including the work of the ceasefire monitoring committee, known locally as the mechanism, and on demands for an Israeli withdrawal. The New Arab reported Yassin's views as his own assessment; they are not an official position.

The talks are due to take place in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday. The New Arab reported that the Lebanese delegation is expected to repeat its demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Israeli attacks in the south continue daily, according to the report, despite a framework agreement signed in June.

It is not clear from the sources whether the talks will go ahead as planned. The New Arab did not say whether the Israeli military provided evidence for its claims, and no details of the alleged site were given.

Background

Lebanon and Israel last held talks in Rome in early August, according to The New Arab. An eighth round planned for September in the Italian capital did not take place.

The mechanism, the ceasefire monitoring committee, was set up after the November 2024 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah. The framework agreement signed in June is the most recent document cited in the sources.

Israel and Hezbollah have continued to trade accusations about the south since the ceasefire, and the Lebanese army has said it is working to extend state control over weapons in the area. The New Arab's report did not describe any specific incidents beyond those listed above.