Report: Israel, Lebanon Narrow List of Countries to Monitor Hezbollah Disarmament

Israel and Lebanon have narrowed down a list of countries that could provide military personnel to monitor the disarmament of Hezbollah, with the United States expected to decide which nations will ultimately participate, Reuters reported Friday, citing a Lebanese official.

The potential monitoring force is part of a U.S.-mediated framework aimed at linking a phased Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanese territory with independent verification that the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization is being disarmed.

Hezbollah is not a party to the agreement and continues to reject demands that it surrender its weapons, leaving a major obstacle to any lasting security arrangement.

Washington to Choose Monitoring Countries

The shortlist was developed during talks held at the U.S. Embassy in Rome earlier this week. The Lebanese official did not identify the countries still under consideration or disclose how many remained on the list.

“We have reached a short list of countries. We decided which parties were impossible for each and set the potential actors,” the Lebanese official told Reuters. “The Americans will now decide, and could pick more than one country.”

Previous reports indicated that American and Israeli negotiators opposed including France in the proposed monitoring arrangement.

A U.S. State Department representative described the Rome discussions as “productive on the technical and expert levels” but did not provide details about the countries under consideration. Israel’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment on the reported shortlist.

Foreign Forces Could Work Alongside Lebanese Army

Beirut previously rejected a proposal to use private defense companies to conduct third-party verification. The current candidates are governments that could deploy personnel to Lebanon.

Key details remain unresolved, including the number of foreign personnel, their authority, and how they would coordinate with the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Negotiators are also considering the legal framework needed for foreign forces to operate inside Lebanon. One possibility would place the monitoring contingent within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL. With UNIFIL’s existing mandate set to expire at the end of December, that approach could require a new UN Security Council resolution.

Other possibilities include operating the monitoring personnel through a separate UN framework or establishing their presence through a direct agreement with the Lebanese government.

Disagreement Remains Over Israeli Withdrawal

The sides have not yet agreed on the next area from which Israeli forces would withdraw before Lebanese Army units move in. Lebanese negotiators proposed Bint Jbeil and Khiam, two southern Lebanese towns that suffered extensive damage during fighting.

The broader framework announced in Washington on June 26 calls for Israeli forces to withdraw in phases while Lebanese Army units deploy into designated areas, beginning with two initial pilot zones.

Formal negotiations are expected to resume in early September.

Any agreement will ultimately face the central security question that has shaped the conflict for years: whether Hezbollah will actually surrender the weapons and military infrastructure that have allowed the Iran-backed terrorist organization to operate as an armed force on Israel’s northern border.