US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a trilateral framework agreement on Friday between Israel and Lebanon following talks in Washington. Signed by Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh, the deal follows months of conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Ambassador Hamadeh described the agreement as a first step toward restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The agreement establishes a process to restore Lebanon's sovereignty, dismantle Hezbollah's infrastructure, and disarm the group. Once threats to its citizens are removed, Israel will be able to return to its borders. However, Israel will maintain a security zone along the boundaries of the yellow line, which extends approximately 10 kilometers into Lebanon from the Israeli border.
To facilitate the process, the agreement creates a US-facilitated trilateral Military Coordination Group for Lebanon. While the parties agreed to a ceasefire, its implementation is contingent upon Hezbollah halting hostilities. This development comes after five rounds of talks, which began in April, following a conflict that has left more than 4,200 dead and displaced over one million Lebanese.
Secretary of State Rubio characterized the framework as an essential first step in what he described as a difficult journey toward a peace settlement.