Israel and Lebanon Discuss Plan to Destroy Hezbollah After Rare Talks

Israel's ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, stated that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to "liberate Lebanon from Hezbollah.”

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Beirut bombing aftermath

The statement followed the first direct talks in decades between official representatives of Israel and Lebanon, which took place in Washington on April 14.

Proposed Plan and Strategic Vision

According to Leiter, both sides found themselves "on the same side of the equation” and united in their desire to free Lebanon from an "occupying force” controlled by Iran-namely, Hezbollah. The talks were mediated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Israel proposed a "peace plan” that includes the creation of three zones within Lebanon.

The first zone would be an eight-kilometer buffer area stretching from the coast to the Syrian border. It provides for the destruction of all civilian infrastructure and Hezbollah strongholds. Israel would maintain a permanent presence in this zone to "protect Israeli settlements in the north.”

The second zone, located south of the Litani River and extending up to the buffer zone, would fall under the responsibility of the Israel Defense Forces for the elimination of Hezbollah. The river represents a key geopolitical boundary. According to United Nations Resolution 1701, Hezbollah forces are to withdraw beyond it to create a buffer along the Israeli border.

The third zone would cover the rest of Lebanon, where the Lebanese armed forces would assume responsibility for dismantling remaining Hezbollah positions north of the Litani River, in the Bekaa Valley, along the eastern border, and south of Beirut. On March 2, the Lebanese government led by Nawaf Salam imposed an immediate ban on any military or security activities by Hezbollah.

Israel stated that it would not carry out a full withdrawal of troops until Hezbollah is eliminated, effectively creating grounds for an indefinite presence in areas south of the Litani River-territory previously mentioned by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich as part of the concept of a "Greater Israel.”

Ongoing Conflict and Human Impact

Israel continues its bombardment of Lebanon, leading to new casualties. According to Lebanon's Ministry of Health, since March 2 the death toll has risen to 2,089, with 6,762 injured, while 1.2 million people have been displaced from their homes.

Challenges to Disarming Hezbollah

Attempts to disarm Hezbollah have occurred before but have failed, as Beirut itself acknowledges the weakness of its army. Each time Israel declared the group "destroyed,” it re-emerged and continued to receive support from Iran in subsequent conflicts.

The Israeli side expects that this time it will defeat Hezbollah in its main strongholds in southern Lebanon, enabling the Lebanese government to begin a real process of dismantling the organization. Plans include the creation of a multilateral committee under US auspices to monitor compliance and prevent rearmament.

Despite optimistic statements in Washington, experts point to serious obstacles to disarmament, as Hezbollah retains significant military capabilities and remains embedded in Lebanon's political system.

Risk of Renewed Civil War

The Lebanese government faces the challenge of dismantling a Shiite movement that has entrenched itself across much of the country and secured substantial public support, effectively creating a state within a state. Its possession of weapons was formalized following the civil war.

The Shiite community strongly opposes disarmament, raising the possibility that civil war could return under slogans accusing the central government of betrayal, as Hezbollah's ideology rests on its role as a "defender of all Lebanon” against external aggression.

The unwillingness of Israel and the United States to seek a genuine peace with Iran may lead to a new social and demographic catastrophe in Lebanon, affecting its multiethnic and multiconfessional society, including long-standing refugee populations. The outcome of this crisis could destabilize the wider region at a time when tensions are already dangerously high.