With Israeli forces withdrawing from the southern Lebanese town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh and the Lebanese Army deploying inside the area, attention is now shifting to the next stage of the process: allowing State forces to enter homes and private properties to search for weapons and military infrastructure.

The town is emerging as the first practical test of the security and judicial framework prepared for the newly established pilot zones, and whether Lebanon can implement inspections under legal authorization while asserting the state's exclusive authority over arms.

A judicial source told Nidaa al-Watan that authorities are working to secure special judicial authorizations that would provide the legal basis for the Lebanese Army to enter private properties located within the pilot zones. Such authorizations would allow inspections to be carried out legally and in accordance with the military and security responsibilities assigned to the Army.

The U.S. State Department has announced the launch of the first phase of the pilot zones project, saying implementation had begun in the towns of Froun, Srifa, and Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh under the supervision of the Lebanon-focused Military Coordination Group.

Under the plan, the Lebanese Army is expected to clear the designated areas of weapons and unauthorized military infrastructure, establish full control over them, and prevent their future use for military purposes.

A military source told Nidaa al-Watan that the legal procedures governing military operations differ from those applied during normal security situations.

Under ordinary circumstances, security forces—including the Lebanese Army, military police, and intelligence services—are required to obtain authorization from the government commissioner to the Military Court or other competent judicial authorities before carrying out raids or arrests.

However, in military zones or operational areas where rapid action is required, the Army needs broader judicial authorization covering the entire scope of its mission. Such a mandate would allow troops to conduct searches and raids directly, with reports submitted to judicial authorities afterward, rather than requiring separate permits for each individual operation.

The source said that obtaining prior judicial approval would provide legal protection for the military institution and give it greater flexibility to carry out its duties, particularly under the exceptional circumstances surrounding the implementation of the pilot zones.

The same principle applies to searches of private homes and properties. While Lebanese law generally requires a judicial warrant for such actions, declaring an area a military or operational zone—or granting the Army a general judicial authorization—would allow inspections to proceed directly, provided that judicial authorities are informed of the results after the completion of the mission.