A sweeping U.S. plan for post-conflict Lebanon reportedly proposes the deployment of American forces in the south, the ceding of sovereign territory by Beirut, and the creation of a special economic zone. Details of the initiative, emerging in Arab media, highlight a bold vision for regional stability, but one that hinges on the monumental challenge of disarming Hezbollah, a persistent obstacle to any lasting settlement with Israel.
According to the Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar, the plan presented by U.S. special envoy Thomas Barrack would require Beirut to relinquish control over 27 border villages. This territory, where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) currently maintain a presence in five locations, would be transformed into an industrial hub overseen by up to 2,000 U.S. personnel. It remains unclear whether these would be regular troops or private military contractors.
Under the terms of the proposal, Israel would also retain the right to operate freely and maintain military observation posts on strategic high ground within southern Lebanon. Washington has reportedly framed this condition as a necessary security guarantee for Israel’s northern communities against potential attacks from Hezbollah.
To incentivize Beirut, the proposed demilitarized area would be developed as a special economic zone, attracting international investment in solar energy, agriculture, and electronics manufacturing. Further enticements reportedly include a U.S.-Lebanon defense agreement to modernize and re-equip the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), which are expected to spearhead any disarmament efforts.
Disarming Hezbollah is the central condition set by the U.S. and Israel following the cessation of major hostilities on November 27, 2024. While the LAF is tasked with presenting a plan this month, envoy Barrack has stressed a preference for persuasion over force. ‘They are negotiating how to convince Hezbollah to give up its weapons,’ he noted, adding that Israel must in turn reduce its own military presence.
However, negotiations have reached an impasse. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam recently lamented that the U.S. mediation ‘failed to pierce the Israeli wall of intolerance and persistence.’ Beirut had hoped Washington would pressure Israel to begin a partial withdrawal and halt military raids, but feels Israel is instead demanding Hezbollah’s unilateral disarmament as a non-negotiable first step before considering any withdrawal from the southern areas it controls.
Sources cited by Lebanese outlet Al-Modon claim that Israel has offered no concessions despite proposals from Beirut. Meanwhile, the LAF navigates a precarious internal situation. While reportedly determined to disarm the group, which is said to have lost 80% of its arsenal in the recent conflict, the military is wary of alienating Lebanon’s Shiite community and sparking a national schism. As the Lebanese cabinet prepares to debate the army’s disarmament strategy, the country’s political and military leadership faces the delicate task of securing peace without triggering civil strife.