Rubio Reveals New Lebanon "Pilot Zones" Plan as CENTCOM Chief Heads to Israel

The commander of the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), Adm. Brad Cooper, is expected to arrive in Israel tomorrow (Thursday) for a series of meetings with top defense officials. During the visit, Cooper is set to meet with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Defense Minister ישראל כ"ץ, with the talks expected to focus on the latest developments on the Iranian front and the continuation of security and strategic coordination between Jerusalem and Washington.

Alongside the discussions on Iran, the sides are also expected to address the latest intelligence picture and their joint preparedness against threats in the region. Lebanon and the situation along the northern border are also expected to take center stage in the talks, against the backdrop of ongoing contacts between Israel and Lebanon under American mediation.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed additional details this evening about one of the ideas being discussed as part of the negotiations. According to Rubio, "One of the issues discussed in the negotiations is the creation of pilot zones, defined and specific areas where the Lebanese army can enter, take control, secure the area, and then move on to the next pilot zone."

Under the framework, the pilot zones are intended to allow the Lebanese army to prove that it is capable of establishing effective control on the ground and turning certain areas into places that are "free of Hezbollah."

During his visit to Kuwait, Rubio was asked about the Israeli presence in Lebanon. In response, he stressed that "the reason it is in Lebanon is that Hezbollah is launching rockets and UAVs from there."

He added: "Our hope is that the Lebanese army and the legitimate and sovereign Lebanese government will be able to continue to control and secure more and more of their territory, because they are the ones who should control Lebanese territory, not a terrorist organization like Hezbollah."

Rubio also said that Israel had made clear that it has no dispute with the Lebanese people and no territorial claims in Lebanon: "The more the Lebanese army is able to secure, the less Israel will be present in Lebanon."

The secretary of state further noted that this would be a gradual move: "This will be a process." In his words, "This is something all of us want to see resolved for Lebanon’s future. We want to see a Lebanon that is under the control of its legitimate government, and one in which there is no foreign government invading its territory."

He emphasized that "the only reason Israel is in Lebanon is that Hezbollah is firing at its civilians. If it were not, they would not be there."