Israel and Lebanon agree on four nations to verify Hezbollah disarmament

Israel and Lebanon have landed on a shortlist of four countries, Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and Indonesia, whose troops or personnel could be deployed to southern Lebanon to verify that Hezbollah is actually laying down its arms. The agreement was reached during discussions at the US Embassy in Rome, marking the most concrete progress yet in a diplomatic process that has been grinding forward for months. The verification mechanism is tied to a broader US-brokered framework announced on June 26, 2026, which links phased Israeli military withdrawals from Lebanon to demonstrable steps by Beirut to disarm the Iran-backed militant group. Washington is expected to make the final call on which of the four nations will participate. How the verification would work The proposed mechanism centers on designated “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon. Foreign personnel from the selected countries would operate in these areas to confirm that Hezbollah’s weapons are being brought under Lebanese state control. Two decades of unfinished business The roots of this agreement stretch back to the 2006 Lebanon War, which ended with UN Security Council Resolution 1701. That resolution called for Hezbollah’s...