After four days of intensive negotiations at the U.S. State Department in Washington, Israel, Lebanon, and the United States signed a framework agreement aimed at paving the way for a future peace and security arrangement between Israel and Lebanon.
The agreement establishes a new U.S.-backed mechanism designed to reduce tensions along the northern border through a phased, performance-based process. Under the framework, the Israeli military would gradually redeploy from designated areas as the Lebanese Armed Forces assume responsibility and demonstrate effective control, while Hezbollah is expected to be disarmed.
Unlike previous arrangements tied to fixed timelines, the new framework conditions Israeli withdrawals on measurable security outcomes.
Hezbollah Rejects the Agreement
Within minutes of the signing ceremony, Hassan Fadlallah rejected the agreement on behalf of Hezbollah.
Fadlallah declared that the organization would not allow Lebanese authorities to implement any agreement requiring Hezbollah's disarmament, warning that such an effort could lead to internal conflict in Lebanon.
He further stated that Hezbollah would continue to maintain—and, if necessary, strengthen—its military capabilities.
The statement immediately underscored the principal challenge facing the agreement: the gap between diplomatic commitments and realities on the ground in southern Lebanon.
Israel: Withdrawals Will Depend on Results
An Israeli senior official said that Israeli forces would remain within the security zone until Hezbollah and other armed groups are effectively disarmed and no longer pose a threat to Israel.
According to the official, the Israel Defense Forces will retain full operational freedom throughout the security zone, with any future withdrawals based solely on verified performance rather than predetermined schedules.
The official described this approach as a fundamental shift from previous arrangements, emphasizing that Israel would no longer exchange territorial withdrawals for political assurances alone.
Pilot Zones to Test Lebanese Army Control
The agreement calls for the establishment of two pilot areas where the Lebanese Armed Forces will be expected to demonstrate their ability to exercise full security control.
Under the plan, Israeli forces would redeploy from selected sectors, allowing Lebanon's military to prevent Hezbollah from re-establishing a presence and to enforce state authority.
Expansion of the model to additional areas will depend on the success of these initial pilot zones.
"Iran Is Out, Lebanon Is Taking Control"
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter described the framework as a "performance-based agreement."
"The faster areas are removed from Hezbollah's influence, the faster Israel will withdraw," Leiter said.
He added:
"Iran is out, Hezbollah is on its way out, and the Lebanese Army is on its way in."
Leiter argued that the agreement is intended to sever Lebanon's security landscape from Iranian influence and end Tehran's ability to operate through Hezbollah as a regional proxy.
U.S. Sees Agreement as First Step
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the agreement, describing it as an important milestone.
"The first step is often the hardest, but it is also the most important," Rubio said.
He expressed hope that the framework would ultimately enable both Israelis and Lebanese to pursue "a future of peace, prosperity, and coexistence."
Major Test Lies Ahead
Despite the diplomatic breakthrough, analysts note that the framework depends on a central assumption that has challenged successive Lebanese governments for decades: the ability to disarm Hezbollah and establish exclusive state authority throughout southern Lebanon.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun described the agreement as the beginning of restoring Lebanese sovereignty across the country's entire territory.
Whether the agreement succeeds, however, will depend less on diplomatic ceremonies in Washington than on developments inside southern Lebanon—particularly whether the Lebanese Armed Forces can establish lasting control in areas long dominated by Hezbollah without triggering renewed violence.
For now, the framework represents a significant diplomatic achievement, but its long-term viability will be determined by implementation on the ground rather than commitments made at the negotiating table.
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