Israeli troops gather on Lebanon border (AP)Israel and Lebanon are discussing a US-backed proposal that could see Israeli forces hand over parts of southern Lebanese territory captured during the war with Hezbollah to the Lebanese military, according to Israeli and Lebanese officials, news agency Reuters reported.The proposal, currently under discussion in a new round of talks in Washington, is aimed at facilitating an Israeli withdrawal from some areas while preventing Hezbollah from re-establishing a presence along the border.The proposed arrangement is being discussed as a "pilot project" during negotiations that began on Tuesday between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington.The latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah erupted after the Lebanese armed group launched attacks on Israel in support of Iran during the early stages of the recent US-Israeli confrontation with Tehran. Although a ceasefire has largely held since Sunday, Israeli forces remain deployed deep inside southern Lebanon, where they have established what they describe as a security zone intended to protect northern Israeli communities from potential Hezbollah attacks.What does the plan incudeUnder the plan, Lebanese troops deployed in the transferred areas would undergo training and vetting by the United States to ensure they have no links to the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, Israeli officials said. Israel, however, would continue to maintain a military presence in a buffer zone along the border, citing security concerns.The diplomatic effort has been rejected by Hezbollah and comes as Lebanon has emerged as an important component of broader negotiations involving Washington and Tehran.The discussions also follow last week's interim agreement between the United States and Iran, which called for an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations by both countries and their allies across all fronts, including Lebanon. The agreement also emphasised the need to uphold Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty.The outcome of the Washington talks could shape future security arrangements along the Israel-Lebanon border and determine the pace of any Israeli withdrawal from territory seized during the conflict.