Lebanon and Israel concluded U.S.-mediated talks in Rome on Wednesday, Reuters reports. A U.S. official said progress had been made in implementing a plan that could lead to the start of an Israeli troop withdrawal from some areas of southern Lebanon within days.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the two longtime adversaries held ambassador-level talks at the U.S. Embassy in Rome — the sixth round of face-to-face talks since the new war began on March 2 between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, triggered by the broader regional conflict.

Under a June 26 framework agreement brokered by the United States, Lebanon and Israel agreed to implement a “pilot zone” project providing for the disarmament of militant groups — apparently referring to Hezbollah — as well as the deployment of Lebanese troops in the south and the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces still occupying Lebanese territory.

The U.S. official described the two-day talks as “productive and positive.”

“We agreed on the structure and guiding principles of the process for establishing the pilot zone, which will be finalized and implemented in the coming days,” the official said.

The official said the talks would move into a technical phase to implement the framework agreement and reach a “comprehensive agreement between Israel and Lebanon.”

Israeli forces occupy the so-called “buffer zone,” about 10 km inside Lebanon along the entire Israeli border. Israeli officials say the zone is necessary to protect northern Israeli communities from attacks by Hezbollah.

Lebanon has called on Israel to begin withdrawing its troops immediately, but Israel says its forces will remain in southern Lebanon as long as Hezbollah remains armed.

The direct talks are continuing despite periodic deadly Israeli strikes and strong objections from Hezbollah, which rejects disarmament and says that only pressure from its ally Iran can secure an end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.