Hezbollah civil arm active in Lebanon pilot zone, putting Beirut-Jerusalem agreement in question

A new report by the Alma Research and Education Center reveals that Hezbollah's Islamic Health Organization continues to operate in Zawtar al-Gharbiyah, a pilot zone in southern Lebanon meant to be free of Hezbollah under the US-brokered Jerusalem-Beirut agreement. The Lebanese army deployed there after the IDF withdrawal, but the health organization's presence, including recovering Hezbollah operatives' bodies alongside the army, raises doubts about Lebanon's ability to enforce the agreement. Researchers note the dual-use nature of the organization, which served as a medical corps and facilitated weapons transport during the war.

A new analysis by the Alma Research and Education Center, published on Monday, reveals that Hezbollah's Islamic Health Organization remains active in Zawtar al-Gharbiyah, one of the first pilot zones under the US-brokered Jerusalem-Beirut agreement. The Lebanese army began deploying there last Tuesday after the IDF withdrew, but documentation shows the health organization continues to operate openly, including recovering Hezbollah operatives' bodies alongside the army. The center stresses that this suggests the return of Shiites to southern Lebanon would mean the return of the terror group. Dr. Moran Levanoni of the Institute for National Security Studies noted it is unclear whether Hezbollah's civil branches are explicitly banned, and that some risk is unavoidable. Separately, Walla reported that Lebanese Armed Forces Commander General Rodolphe Haykal is coordinating with Hezbollah to avoid friction, and that the army has seized few Hezbollah weapons. Hezbollah MP Hussein Hajj Hassan accused Israel and the Lebanese Forces of not fully implementing the agreement and stressed the need for Iranian funding for reconstruction.