The first so-called pilot zone in Lebanon, in which the Lebanese army will assume control of an area now occupied by Israeli forces, will launch in "a matter of days," with further zones being mapped out and planned, Axios reported on Thursday, citing a US official.
This comes as Israel begins implementing its commitment to an initial withdrawal from the region, the report added, following the signing of a trilateral agreement between the US, Israel, and Lebanon last week aimed at combating Hezbollah.
"Further pilot zones are being mapped out and planned. CENTCOM is coordinating with both countries [Israel and Lebanon] to move forward," said the official, adding that the meeting to be held in Rome is set to be a "closed discussion."
Technical teams to continue working on agreement
The meeting, he added, will enable senior negotiators from Israel and Lebanon to hand off to technical teams after Lebanon refused to hold another round of talks with Israel.
The technical teams will continue working on the issues outlined in the agreement, the report said.
According to a US State Department statement, the framework outlines a structured process for disarming Hezbollah, dismantling terrorist infrastructure, and enabling an IDF withdrawal once security threats are removed.
"We will soon begin outreach to international partners to help the Lebanese Government effectively restore sovereignty in these zones and across their country more broadly", the US official said.
Reuters contributed to this report.