A US State Department source told the Lebanese newspaper Nidaa Al-Watan that during the technical talks held in Rome, the Israeli and Lebanese delegations completed the coordination necessary to implement the "pilot zones" plan.
As part of the understandings, the sides agreed on operational standards, prepared joint maps, and established uniform definitions for mine-clearing operations and verification mechanisms intended to ensure that Hezbollah's presence in these areas is neutralized.
The source added that the sides formulated a roadmap for opening additional pilot zones in the future. The Lebanese delegation is expected to present detailed maps for securing the designated areas during the next round of talks, parallel to beginning the implementation of the first phase.
The report follows a diplomatic round held last week at the US Embassy in Rome. Following those sessions, a Lebanese representative informed Reuters on Friday that Israeli and Lebanese negotiators had assembled a restricted list of potential third-party nations that could deploy security forces to supervise Hezbollah's disarmament.
The discussions in Rome represented the latest effort to implement a US-brokered framework finalized on June 26. The agreement links a step-by-step withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese soil to independent monitoring of Hezbollah's disarmament.
Hezbollah is not a party to the accord and continues to refuse to lay down its arms.