Lebanese President Joseph Aoun departed Beirut on Saturday for an official visit to Washington, where he is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on July 21.

According to the Lebanese presidency, the two leaders will review bilateral relations and discuss Lebanon’s security and economic challenges, including the situation in the south and efforts to strengthen the ceasefire.

Aoun is also expected to press for a mechanism ensuring the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory they continue to occupy.

The trip marks the first official visit by a Lebanese president to Washington since 2009, when former President Michel Suleiman met then-U.S. President Barack Obama.

The visit comes amid unprecedented U.S.-mediated negotiations between Lebanon and Israel aimed at ending decades of hostility.

On June 26, the two sides signed a preliminary agreement linking the disarmament of Hezbollah to a gradual Israeli withdrawal from positions seized inside southern Lebanon. Implementation is expected to begin in two pilot areas that have not yet been publicly identified.

Negotiators meeting in Rome last Wednesday reportedly reached understandings on the proposed structure of the pilot zones.

“A general framework and working structure for the model areas have been agreed upon,” the U.S. Embassy said, adding that preparations would be completed before implementation begins.

The agreement has nevertheless drawn criticism in Beirut. Opponents argue that it could weaken Lebanon’s ability to pursue claims against Israel and does not establish a clear timetable for withdrawal.

Israel has reportedly insisted on retaining a security strip extending 10 kilometres into Lebanese territory until Hezbollah is disarmed. Hezbollah rejects the demand, while observers warn that Lebanon’s internal political divisions could obstruct implementation and prolong the Israeli military presence.

A Lebanese official, speaking anonymously to Anadolu Agency, said Washington could pressure Israel to facilitate the agreement. The official added that strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces would be a central part of the proposed arrangements, particularly in the pilot areas.

Discussions at the White House are also expected to cover economic assistance for Lebanon and the future of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, whose current mandate expires at the end of the year.

A gradual UNIFIL withdrawal is expected to begin in 2027. Beirut has indicated that it would consider an alternative international presence capable of supporting the Lebanese army’s deployment in the south and maintaining regional stability.

Despite a decline in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah since mid-June, Israeli airstrikes and demolition operations have continued across southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported on Saturday that Israeli strikes targeted towns in the Tyre and Nabatieh areas.

The Lebanese army also announced that one of its soldiers was killed after a suspicious object exploded inside a military vehicle in the town of Mansouri.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah held a funeral in Majdal Selm for 44 people, including 39 fighters and four civilians killed during recent confrontations with Israel. Another person included in the ceremony had died of natural causes.

Regional tensions have also prompted the U.S. Embassy in Beirut to renew its warning against travel to Lebanon. Official figures indicate that more than 4,300 people have been killed and around 12,200 injured since the war began on March 2.