US envoy urges patience ahead of Israel-Lebanon talks in Rome

Ahead of the seventh round of direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, scheduled to take place in Rome, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa urged both sides to proceed cautiously with implementing the trilateral agreement reached in June.

Issa said significant technical work remains before the agreement can be fully implemented, stressing that civilian safety must remain the top priority.

"There is a fundamental difference between signing an agreement and its concrete implementation," he said. "Moving too quickly would risk endangering the populations that this process is meant to protect."

The envoy said a gradual rollout would allow both sides to ensure the agreement is effectively implemented before expanding it to additional areas.

The June agreement calls for the Lebanese Armed Forces to deploy in several areas of southern Lebanon previously under Hezbollah's influence, while Israel is expected to withdraw from its security zone, contingent on the Iran-backed militant group being disarmed.

Two weeks ago, the Israel Defense Forces completed an initial withdrawal from a pilot zone in southern Lebanon. Lebanese officials, however, have accused Israel of obstructing the deployment of Lebanese troops in the area, an allegation that has added to tensions ahead of the next round of talks in Rome.