President Joseph Aoun will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday to wrap up a four-day visit to Washington, in a bid to bring about long-term calm in the war-torn country after months of war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Aoun's landmark meeting with Trump comes as Lebanon and Israel continue to hold rare direct talks mediated by Washington. Lebanon hopes they will result in Israeli troops withdrawing from large swaths of southern Lebanon that they currently occupy, and for the Lebanese military to receive support to assert full control in areas where Hezbollah militants had held sway.

The Lebanese army deployed on Tuesday to "pilot zones" in part of the country that had been under Israeli control following a deal sponsored by Washington, a military source told AFP.

The source said soldiers "have begun deploying to the village of Zawtar al-Gharbieh" in the Nabatieh region, following Israel's invasion of parts of the south during their war with Hezbollah.

Contacts are underway between the United States and several European countries to strengthen the verification mechanism for implementing the pilot zone arrangements in southern Lebanon, a diplomatic source said.

The United States on Monday announced the launch of the “pilot zone” process in south Lebanon.

Talks between President Joseph Aoun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio covered several topics, most notably the implementation of the framework agreement with Israel, providing full support to the Lebanese Army, and addressing the Lebanese government's program regarding investments, reconstruction, and the conferences required for this purpose, informed sources said.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri hopes a meeting set for Tuesday between President Joseph Aoun and U.S. President Donald Trump will yield positive results.

Berri told local news platform al-Afdal, in remarks published Monday, that he only cares about reaching a real solution, regardless of where that solution comes from.

President Joseph Aoun’s meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday was “successful and positive” and the two men discussed “all files,” U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa said.

President Joseph Aoun received a phone call from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Presidency said, during a visit by the president to the United States.

Israeli warplanes conducted mock raids Monday over Lebanon's northern border, Akkar's heights and al-Hermel.

In the south of the country, drones dropped stun bombs on al-Mansouri and Marjaayoun, and Israeli forces carried out a massive explosion in the town of Kfartebnit.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a press briefing that Lebanon must be run by a legitimate government, "not Hezbollah, not Iran".

"You defeat and replace Hezbollah with a government that is strong enough to be the sole force of arms in the country, basically with the security of Lebanon in the hands of the Lebanese Armed Forces, and a government that’s able to provide prosperity for its citizens."