Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is scheduled to visit the White House at the end of July to meet U.S. President Donald Trump. The visit aims to advance a framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel. Preparations for the trip began after a 17-minute phone conversation between the two leaders, which Aoun described as positive. He confirmed the plan in an interview with Lebanon’s daily An-Nahar.

Aoun acknowledged that the framework deal with Israel is not ideal but said it reflects the current balance of power in southern Lebanon, which favors Israel. He emphasized that the agreement is only a framework, not a final treaty, and warned against betting on divisions within the Lebanese army. Aoun stated that the deal would not halt Lebanon’s struggle to reclaim occupied territories.

The president added that a pilot security deployment will begin in Zawtar, Nabatieh district, where Lebanese forces will assume control of certain towns as Israeli troops gradually withdraw. He also noted that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked to ensure Lebanese control over the nearby Ali al-Taher mountain, a proposal reportedly accepted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.