Lebanese President Meets Trump as Pilot Zone Operations Start

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is set to meet US President Donald Trump in the White House on Tuesday, becoming the first Lebanese head of state to do so in nearly two decades. The visit comes as the first phase of a US-brokered security framework began on Monday, with operations in three southern villages: Froun, Srifa, and Zawtar Al-Gharbiya. Under the initiative, the Lebanese army will take over from Israeli forces and work to disarm Hezbollah. The framework was signed about a month ago by the US, Israel, and Lebanon, following a war that killed more than 4,000 Lebanese. The pilot zones are meant to test the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the deployment of the Lebanese army. The US State Department called the start a milestone and said it is working closely with both parties. Aoun arrived in Washington on Saturday and met Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday. Rubio described the meeting as positive and said Aoun can return to Lebanon with results. The US recently announced $30 million in additional funding for the Lebanese army, which relies on American support. Some analysts say Hezbollah has mixed incentives — it could benefit if the framework fails, but also wants Israeli forces to leave areas affecting its supporters. The framework aims to restore Lebanon's sovereignty and remove threats to Israel, with no fixed timetable for withdrawal, raising concerns about asymmetry between the two sides.