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Monday, 17 August 2026dailybeirut.com
Lebanon
U.S. General Joseph Clarfield is meeting President Joseph Aoun in Baabda amid indications he carries no positive Israeli response to Lebanon’s proposed model areas, signaling Israeli insistence on resolving Hezbollah’s arms issue before withdrawing from the Blue Line.
According to information obtained by Nidaa al-Watan, the prevailing atmosphere suggests that U.S. General Joseph Clarfield—currently in Beirut for meetings with President Joseph Aoun and other Lebanese officials—does not carry a favorable Israeli reply regarding approval of the model areas proposed by the Lebanese negotiating delegation in Rome. This signals an Israeli hardening of position on withdrawal from the Blue Line, conditioned on prior resolution of the Hezbollah weapons file.
President Aoun is scheduled to discuss with Clarfield the remaining issues related to the first set of model areas, the matter of verification, the security situation in southern Lebanon, the ongoing negotiations, and necessary arrangements.
Security sources informed Nidaa al-Watan that Israeli advances continue on Ali al-Taher Hill and that Israeli operations remain ongoing. Israeli security reinforcements are being observed, indicating a possible expansion of military operations.
