The possibility of deploying private security contractors to verify compliance with the Lebanon-Israel framework agreement has emerged as one of several options under discussion in Washington, highlighting the unresolved challenge of monitoring any future Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah disarmament.

According to information published by Nidaa al-Watan, the issue was discussed during Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's visit to Washington, where he held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump focused on implementing the U.S.-brokered deal aimed at restoring full Lebanese State authority in the country's south.

Sources familiar with the discussions said the proposed framework—which links an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon to the gradual dismantling of Hezbollah's military infrastructure—continues to face a major obstacle: the absence of a credible verification mechanism.

Washington and Israel reportedly insist that no further steps can move forward without an effective system to verify compliance on the ground, warning that the lack of such a mechanism could derail implementation of the agreement.

A White House source said the United States has no intention of deploying American troops to southern Lebanese villages to carry out verification missions. The source added that Washington also opposes involving French forces, a position that is reportedly shared by Israel.

Instead, U.S. military sources said several alternative options have been explored.

Among them is the possible use of private security contractors to carry out verification missions, alongside proposals involving other countries, including the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

Britain has been cited as a potential participant because of its previous cooperation with U.S. Central Command and the Lebanese Army in establishing border observation towers along Lebanon's frontier.

Despite the range of proposals, U.S. military sources stressed that the issue must be resolved quickly, arguing that the absence of a verification mechanism gives Israel grounds to delay further withdrawals or halt the implementation of the broader framework agreement.

A U.S. diplomat also warned that disarming Hezbollah would remain extremely difficult without a neutral verification system in southern Lebanon. Without such a mechanism, the diplomat said, Israel could argue that compliance cannot be independently confirmed and therefore postpone both its military withdrawal and subsequent stages of the agreement.

The diplomat added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could prolong the process, create additional obstacles and limit implementation of the framework to the minimum required commitments.

The verification issue formed part of broader discussions between Aoun and Trump, which also covered efforts to strengthen Lebanon's state institutions, end the presence of armed groups operating outside state authority, and bolster the Lebanese Army.

According to sources familiar with the talks, Aoun presented Trump with a comprehensive roadmap centered on placing all weapons under the exclusive control of the Lebanese state, arguing that Hezbollah's military capabilities should ultimately be dismantled through a gradual process combining political reform, economic recovery and reconstruction.

The two leaders also discussed cutting off illicit financing for non-state actors, particularly Hezbollah. Participants in the talks warned that continued Iranian financial support would further complicate efforts to stabilize Lebanon.

Reconstruction also featured prominently in the discussions, with both sides agreeing on the need for an international conference dedicated to rebuilding Lebanon. They stressed that reconstruction funds should be channeled through Lebanese state institutions rather than Hezbollah, with the aim of restoring public confidence in the government.

Before leaving Washington, Aoun met members of Congress and U.S. administration officials at the Lebanese Embassy, where he emphasized the longstanding partnership between Lebanon and the United States and highlighted Washington's support for the Lebanese Army.

He described the army as the country's unifying national institution and reaffirmed Lebanon's goal of becoming "one state with one army" holding the exclusive authority over war and peace.

Aoun also called for continued U.S. military and economic assistance, arguing that a stronger Lebanese Army is essential to enforcing state authority across the country without the need for any parallel armed force.

Nidaa al-Watan also reported that Washington is expected to announce an additional package of military assistance for the Lebanese Army, separate from previously proposed aid.

According to the newspaper, Aoun also presented Trump with a military concept designed to gradually render Hezbollah's arsenal obsolete by reducing the operational effectiveness of its weapons over time.

The talks extended beyond security issues to include plans to restore direct commercial flights between Lebanon and the United States and establish a broader strategic partnership encompassing economic cooperation alongside military ties.

U.S. diplomatic sources said Aoun sought to convince Trump that Lebanon could become one of Washington's key strategic partners in the region. They added that the success of the understandings reached during the visit will depend on the creation of specialized working groups to oversee implementation, noting that international initiatives of this scale cannot succeed without sustained follow-up and clearly defined execution mechanisms.