Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement on Friday aimed at initiating a path toward peace following months of conflict centered around the activities of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The deal was announced in Washington by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alongside Israel’s and Lebanon’s ambassadors to the United States, Yechiel Leiter and Nada Hamadeh, respectively.
Details of the agreement were not fully disclosed, but Lebanese Ambassador Hamadeh described it as a crucial first step toward restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity. She emphasized the goal of ending hostilities to allow Lebanese citizens to return to their lands and live in peace and security. Israeli Ambassador Leiter framed the accord as a “performance-based trilateral framework” that envisages mutual respect for sovereignty and security, with a clear message that Iran and Hezbollah are excluded from the process.
The agreement comes after several months of intense fighting that began when Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel following the start of the U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran in late February. Israel subsequently conducted military operations inside Lebanon, resulting in significant casualties—over 4,000 Lebanese deaths and at least 37 Israeli soldiers killed during the hostilities.
The framework permits Israeli forces to maintain a presence in designated security zones in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, while allowing the Lebanese Armed Forces to gradually assume control over certain IDF-occupied areas. This redeployment would include “pilot zones,” as proposed by Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, where the Lebanese army would exercise exclusive control. The implementation of these zones is pending approval from Israeli authorities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the deal as a major achievement, underscoring Israel’s intent to maintain its security zone as long as Hezbollah remains armed and poses a threat. He stated that the framework conveys a rejection of Iranian influence in Lebanon, affirming that Tehran and its proxies have no role in the country’s future.
Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon have taken place separately from concurrent U.S.-Iran talks, which are focused on Iran’s nuclear program and regional security concerns. Although Lebanon was hesitant to allow Iran to negotiate on its behalf, it initiated direct discussions with Israel after the conflict escalated. Hezbollah was excluded from the formal talks, and previous ceasefire agreements have yet to be fully implemented.
Lebanese officials have prioritized Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon, while Israeli authorities have centered their demands on Hezbollah’s disarmament. Hezbollah maintains that it is obligated to disarm only south of the Litani River as per prior U.N. resolutions, a stance that complicates negotiations.
The agreement represents a tentative step toward resolving a long-standing conflict, with U.S. officials characterizing it as the beginning of a broader effort to restore stability and prosperity to Lebanon. Both sides acknowledge that further work and time will be necessary to achieve a lasting peace, but the framework signals a renewed commitment to dialogue after years of hostilities.