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Lebanon-Israel talks stall over Israel's insistence on 'yellow line'
Lebanon-Israel talks in Washington have reached an impasse due to Israel's refusal to withdraw from the 'yellow line' it established in southern Lebanon and a disagreement over the starting point of a pilot plan presented by the US.
Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, held in the US capital Washington, are facing a deadlock due to deep disagreements over Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
The fifth round of official talks began on Tuesday. According to a report by Israeli public broadcaster KAN citing unnamed sources, the main dispute centers on the area Israel designated in April as the 'yellow line' or 'anti-tank line'.
The imaginary line Israel has not withdrawn from
The 'yellow line' refers to an imaginary border extending about 8 kilometers into Lebanese territory from the Israeli border. Israel refuses to withdraw from areas within this line and from the Beaufort Castle hill in southern Lebanon.
According to KAN, while Israel is considering a partial and conditional withdrawal from some areas it seized during ground operations, the Lebanese side demands a full withdrawal from all villages and towns such as Majdel Zoun, Zebqin, Beit Lif, Al-Tiri, and Qunin.
US proposes pilot plan
According to the Jerusalem Post, Washington proposed a 'pilot plan' aimed at bridging the gap between the parties, envisioning a gradual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army.
Under the plan, the Lebanese army would take control of areas gradually vacated by the Israeli military and eliminate any military structures belonging to Hezbollah. However, a disagreement has now emerged over where the plan should begin.
While the US and Lebanon support starting the pilot implementation in areas where the Israeli military is currently present, the Tel Aviv administration insists on first applying the plan in areas where there are no Israeli soldiers, in order to test the Lebanese army's capacity to prevent Hezbollah activities.
Conflicting signals from the field
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at a local government conference in Tel Aviv, said Israel would 'stay there,' while Defense Minister Yisrael Katz emphasized that the Israeli military would not withdraw from the buffer zone in southern Lebanon 'even if subjected to American pressure.'
The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that the parties also discussed establishing an American coordination mechanism to regulate the deployment of the Lebanese army in areas vacated by the Israeli military, as well as a secure communication line between the two sides. It is assessed that any Israeli withdrawal would require several days for logistical preparation and redeployment of forces.
Latest on Israeli attacks
Meanwhile, the Israeli army radio claimed that some combat brigades have been withdrawn from southern Lebanon into Israel, and that this is part of a plan to 'raise readiness levels' and training. According to the claim, the plan includes reducing the number of combat forces on various fronts and keeping some brigades as reserve forces.
The intensity of Israeli attacks has noticeably decreased during the ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran. According to official Lebanese data, more than 1 million people have been displaced since the Israeli attacks began on March 2, 2026. With 38 more people killed in the last 24 hours, the total death toll has risen to 4,230 and the number of wounded to 12,179.
It is noted that the Israeli military has occupied some areas in southern Lebanon for decades, took control of new areas during the 2023-2024 war, and with the current attacks has advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory, reaching the deepest point since its withdrawal in 2000. No official statement has been made from the Lebanese side regarding any Israeli withdrawal.
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