Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to hold US-mediated discussions in Tampa, Florida, on October 20, with neither country’s ambassador to Washington expected to attend, according to a US official who spoke to The Times of Israel.

The October 20–21 meetings are expected to address implementation of the Trilateral Framework Agreement, which seeks to disarm Hezbollah and facilitate a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s presidency said last week that its military representatives would press for an end to Israeli strikes inside Lebanon during the trilateral discussions.

During a briefing on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told The Times of Israel that Israel would expect the Lebanese Armed Forces to prove they could eliminate Hezbollah’s presence in two designated trial areas under the agreement. He warned that Israel would intervene if Lebanon’s military could not carry out the task.

“We gave you two ‘pilot zones’ – go in, clear them out. Can you do it? Good. You can’t do it? We’ll take care of it,” he said.

Netanyahu also indicated that removing Hezbollah’s threat could create an opportunity for peace between Israel and Lebanon. However, he did not set a deadline for the Lebanese military to disarm the Iran-backed group.

The planned talks come as political tensions rise in Lebanon over contacts with Israel. A legal complaint has been filed against Lebanon’s ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, following allegations that she contacted Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter to express condolences after a West Bank car-ramming attack left Leiter’s son critically injured. The alleged communication could violate Lebanese laws prohibiting direct contact with Israel. The US State Department publicly criticized the complaint, while a US official familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel last week that Washington was considering sanctions against Lebanese judges involved in the case.