Lebanese President Aoun Travels to Washington for Talks

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun departed Beirut for Washington on February 16, 2026, for a visit expected to include meetings with U.S. officials, including former President Donald Trump. The trip follows the conclusion of Lebanon-Israel talks in Italy and comes as the United States has postponed a key technical meeting on implementing a framework agreement between the two nations.

The Lebanese presidency stated that Aoun will discuss the situation in Lebanon and ways to strengthen the ceasefire, particularly in the country's south, as well as the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied Lebanese regions. However, the practical rollout of recent agreements has been delayed. A virtual meeting between Lebanese, Israeli, and U.S. military delegations, which was expected on February 15 to discuss the first phase of a pilot zones plan, was postponed at Washington's request. Officials familiar with the negotiations said the U.S. requested more time to complete technical files and operational plans. This delay puts the implementation process on hold, with no clear timetable for when the pilot zone arrangements, which would see Israeli forces withdraw from specific areas to allow...