Lebanon's army has maintained its presence in the southern villages within one of the pilot zones proposed under a US-brokered plan signed by Lebanon and Israel – but Hezbollah has not yet been disarmed there, a security source has told The National.The first pilot area would reportedly take in some or all of the villages of Froun, Ghandouriyeh, Qalawiya, Burj Qalawiya and Kfardounine. However, Israeli forces have never invaded those areas, and the Lebanese army has never withdrawn from them, the security source said. However, the source said the area “is not completely clear yet” of Hezbollah's presence or weapons.“We never left. We do regular patrols there. Yesterday we increased the number and frequency of the patrols. That’s it,” the security source added. “The Israelis say they will withdraw from the area, but in reality they’re not withdrawing from anywhere. Why? Because they’re not even there.”Two days of US-brokered direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel ended in Rome on Wednesday without a timetable for implementing the two pilot zones in south Lebanon. A military meeting is set to take place in the “coming days” to determine the technical details for implementation in these areas, a political source told The National.Following that meeting, a seventh round of direct talks is expected to take place in early August, the source said.Lebanon pressed Israel in the latest round of negotiations to begin implementing the pilot zones “as soon as possible”, according to the source. “They [the Israelis] said they would decide at the next military meeting.”The exact perimeters of the pilot zones have yet to be determined, but are also expected to be agreed at the military meeting.'Selling us back our own goods'The primary sticking point is an agreement over a mechanism to verify Hezbollah’s disarmament from the zones, the political source told The National. Under the terms of a June 26 plan agreed by both countries and brokered by the US, Hezbollah would disarm in the two pilot zones, the Lebanese state would assume control, and Israeli forces would subsequently withdraw. Hezbollah has flatly rejected the plan.The Lebanese army set up additional checkpoints and observation posts in Froun, Ghandouriyeh, Qalawiya, Burj Qalawiya and Kfardounine on Wednesday following the conclusion of the talks. It reinforced its existing patrols and published photos to demonstrate its presence in the area.“They [Israelis] say the zone is under threat of bombardment. But all of Lebanon is under threat of bombardment, so that doesn’t make sense. Where would they withdraw from?” the source said. “They are selling us back our own goods.”The second proposed pilot zone would encompass eastern and western Zawtar, as well as other villages around the strategic Ali Taher ridge, where Israeli forces maintain a presence despite never fully consolidating control of the area before a ceasefire froze the front line last month. Since then, Israeli troops have razed neighbourhoods in areas where they are present, while continuing to bombard the areas not under their control, saying they are targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.Security zonesIsrael is determined to maintain what it calls “security zones” in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza “in order to protect Israel's borders and the communities near the border from the threats posed by jihadist forces”, Defence Minister Israel Katz told his US counterpart on Thursday.His comments came days after US President Donald Trump reportedly asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pull Israeli forces out of Syria and Lebanon, according to Axios.Mr Netanyahu’s planned visit to the White House next week has been postponed, his office said on Thursday. This put to rest rumours of a secret meeting between Mr Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who is due to meet Mr Trump on July 21.Mr Aoun has rejected reports of any meeting with Mr Netanyahu. However, he has publicly pinned his hopes on his talks with Mr Trump, saying he will ask the US President to pressure Israel to fully withdraw its forces from south Lebanon.