US President Donald Trump pledged significant support for Lebanon as President Joseph Aoun visited Washington seeking backing for efforts to disarm Hezbollah and advance peace with Israel. During their meeting at the White House, Trump described Lebanon as a country that has endured hardship over decades and acknowledged ongoing security challenges. "It’s probably a dangerous place in a lot of ways," Trump said, affirming Washington’s intention to assist Lebanon extensively.

Aoun, the first Lebanese president invited to the US since 2009, requested political support and continued aid for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), which have started deploying in southern Lebanon as part of a US-facilitated framework agreement with Israel. A former army commander, Aoun emphasized the army’s role as the "backbone of security and stability" and Lebanon’s most trusted institution, asserting that without the LAF, "everything will collapse."

The visit coincided with the Lebanese army’s deployment into a southern "pilot zone," an area Israel is expected to withdraw from under the deal designed to extend Lebanese state authority and disarm Hezbollah, a group supported by Iran. However, the deployment faced immediate challenges; the Lebanese army reported that Israeli troops fired near its units in the zone. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) clarified that they fired warning shots into the air after Lebanese troops entered an area outside the agreed "pilot zone." No injuries were reported, and Lebanese forces withdrew from the area. Trump indicated that the US would consider pressing Israel further on the withdrawal issue.

The arrangement aims to test Lebanon’s ability to assert sovereignty in southern regions, a precondition Israel has set for ending its presence there. The pilot zones are located near areas Israel previously occupied following Hezbollah’s rocket attacks that escalated the conflict in March. Hezbollah has openly rejected disarmament and opposes both the framework agreement and broader Israel-Lebanon negotiations, contrasting with Aoun’s determination to bring all armed groups under state control.

Aoun noted that the framework agreement, a presidential prerogative under Lebanon’s constitution, does not require parliamentary approval. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also met with Aoun, reiterated that lasting peace in Lebanon depends on Hezbollah’s disarmament. He lauded the Lebanese government's efforts to reclaim sovereignty and dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.

Aoun’s initiatives follow a recent conflict marked by Israeli strikes that Lebanese authorities say resulted in over 4,300 deaths. Violence has diminished markedly since last month’s signing of a US-Iran framework and the Lebanon-Israel accord. During the meeting, Trump also addressed concerns over Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, warning against threats to blockade Saudi ports and reaffirming past US responses to such actions.