BEIRUT: A Lebanese military source has accused Israel of waging a systematic campaign against the Lebanese Armed Forces in an attempt to force direct coordination between the two armies.

The source told Arab News that Israel was seeking to turn the Lebanese military into a force resembling the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army, once commanded by Antoine Lahad during Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon, and warned that Lebanon would never accept an arrangement that effectively places its military under Israeli control.

“Israel wants the Lebanese Army to become like Lahad’s army, taking orders and carrying out instructions,” the source said. “That will never happen.”

The comments come amid growing Israeli criticism of the Lebanese military’s efforts to disarm Hezbollah and inspect facilities suspected of belonging to the Iran-backed group.

At the same time, voices within Lebanon have called on the Armed Forces to take a firmer approach in areas under its control, while criticizing the government for failing to create the conditions necessary for displaced residents to return to pilot zones such as West Zawtar.

The source said the Lebanese military’s deployment to the initial pilot zones in July was carried out in accordance with the framework agreement reached during US-mediated negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.

“The agreement explicitly provided for a verification mechanism,” the source said, accusing Israel of repeatedly obstructing efforts to establish such a mechanism, including rejecting proposals for French, Italian and German participation.

“Israel has so far refused every proposed verification mechanism and is opposed to the success of any initiative to expand the pilot zones,” the source said, adding that Washington was unwilling to deploy American personnel as part of a verification mechanism because of the risks involved.

The source described Israel’s criticism of the Lebanese military as part of a broader effort to force it into a subordinate role.

“Israel wants to turn the Lebanese Army into one of its employees,” the source said. “That is something that cannot happen.”

The source also accused Israeli forces of continuing attacks around West Zawtar, despite the Lebanese Army’s deployment.

“Israeli forces continue to demolish houses in nearby East Zawtar. Missiles fly over the heads of Lebanese soldiers and sometimes land just meters away from them,” the source said.

The source also accused Israeli forces of targeting Lebanese military vehicles amid the continued absence of an agreed verification mechanism.

Retired Maj. Gen. Abdel Rahman Shehaitly, Lebanon’s former representative in negotiations over the southern land border, similarly rejected the possibility of direct coordination between the two militaries.

“The Israeli side is making false claims concerning the verification mechanism,” Shehaitly told Arab News. “What Israel really wants is to become the Lebanese army’s direct coordinator. That is simply unacceptable.”

He drew a comparison with the Syrian military presence in Lebanon, which lasted approximately three decades.

“Even during the 30 years of Syrian military presence in Lebanon, there was never direct coordination between Syrian and Lebanese military units on Lebanese territory,” he said.

“Coordination always took place through a designated liaison office. It is therefore inconceivable that direct coordination could ever take place between the Lebanese and Israeli armies on the ground in southern Lebanon.”

Israeli forces withdrew from West Zawtar in July in the first test of a US-backed pilot-zone initiative designed to secure a gradual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in exchange for the disarmament of Hezbollah.

However, no additional pilot zones have been agreed upon since the initial withdrawal, amid disagreements over the verification mechanism and Israeli opposition to expanding the initiative.

West Zawtar Mayor Abed Ezzedine told Reuters that the pilot-zone program had failed to deliver its promised improvements, with basic public services, including electricity and running water, still largely unavailable.

“In principle, I can tell you that no, it’s not successful. Based on what we were promised: that West Zawtar as a pilot zone would be a model town,” Ezzedine said.

Responding to questions from Reuters, the Israeli military said efforts to eliminate the threat posed by Hezbollah’s weapons remained incomplete.

It said drones were being used to identify potential threats and that restrictions on residents’ movements were intended to protect Israeli troops.

A US State Department spokesperson, meanwhile, described the pilot-zone process as “the only viable path” toward ensuring security for both Lebanon and Israel.

The spokesperson said the initiative would be expanded once the Lebanese military had completed clearance operations in the initial zone, emphasizing that Hezbollah’s disarmament was “an integral part of this process.”

The eighth round of direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations under US mediation remains suspended, with Beirut yet to receive official notification from Washington of a date for the next meeting.

There has been speculation about a military-focused round of talks in Florida before the end of October, but no date has been formally communicated to the Lebanese side.

Meanwhile, Israeli military operations continue in the so-called yellow zone, where evacuation threats have prevented displaced residents from attempting to return to their homes.

More than a million Lebanese fled their homes following the outbreak of hostilities seven months ago, when Israel launched airstrikes and a ground invasion after Hezbollah fired into Israel in solidarity with Tehran during the war involving Iran.

Ending the conflict in Lebanon has been among Iran’s conditions for a broader peace agreement, prompting Washington to intensify efforts to secure a settlement.

Despite months of US-brokered negotiations and a ceasefire agreed in June, Israeli forces have continued carrying out deadly strikes in Lebanon.

Israeli troops also remain in control of a self-declared security zone encompassing dozens of Lebanese villages, many of which have been demolished during the military campaign.