Lebanese army rejects any direct coordination with Israeli occupation forces: Report

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have categorically rejected any direct coordination with Israeli occupation forces over the proposed “pilot zones” mechanism, which is widely regarded as a cover for prolonging Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon.

A senior Lebanese official told Al Mayadeen on Sunday that the LAF will not enter any designated “pilot zone” until Israeli forces have fully withdrawn from the area. The official stressed that the military leadership is firmly opposed to any form of direct field liaison with the Israeli army.

“The LAF remains committed to rejecting any direct coordination with the Israeli occupation,” the source said.

“No date has yet been determined for the launch of the ‘pilot zones’ mechanism. The LAF will not enter any ‘pilot zone’ until Israeli occupation forces have completely withdrawn from it.”

A day earlier, Lebanese military sources made similar statements to Al-Akhbar newspaper, rejecting any form of cooperation between the Israeli military and the LAF.

“There is no agreement on any ‘pilot’ or ‘model’ zones,” the sources said. “The proposal previously put forward by the Israelis was categorically rejected by the LAF. All discussions held in Washington concerned areas that are not occupied and which the Israeli army had been unable to reach.”

“The army will not operate under anyone’s command, including Israel’s,” they added. “Its mission is not to clear the ground for the enemy in order to facilitate its entry into areas it failed to reach because of fierce resistance. The army will not be the reason for the occupation of additional Lebanese territory.”

Earlier, LAF Commander General Rodolphe Haykal informed President Joseph Aoun that the military rejects any implementation mechanism under the US-mediated framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel.

These developments come as Lebanese government authorities continue holding rounds of direct negotiations with Israeli officials in Washington. At the same time, the Israeli regime has maintained its military aggression across Lebanon, particularly in the south.

The ongoing strikes have caused civilian casualties, including deaths and injuries, as well as widespread damage to critical civilian infrastructure.

The proposed “pilot zones” mechanism has faced sharp opposition from Lebanese political circles and the broader public.

The Hezbollah resistance movement has already rejected the framework, viewing it as an attempt to extract political concessions while keeping Israel’s military presence and aggression intact.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has pledged to lead political opposition to the controversial US-mediated framework agreement, vowing to block its ratification in parliament.

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Senior Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah denounced the US-mediated framework as a “humiliation,” a “disgrace,” and a virtual surrender of Lebanese sovereignty.

Israeli troops continue to occupy a self-declared “security zone” extending roughly 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory.

Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli regime has continued bombarding residential areas and civilian infrastructure across southern Lebanon.

Since March 2, Israel has carried out an expanded offensive in Lebanon, killing more than 4,247 people, injuring over 12,190, and displacing more than 1.6 million individuals.

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