U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday that a trilateral framework agreement has been reached between the United States, Israel and Lebanon, outlining steps aimed at reducing tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border.
According to Rubio, the agreement provides for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from areas of southern Lebanon currently under Israeli control, with the Lebanese Army expected to deploy to those locations as the withdrawal proceeds.
Rubio said the framework not only establishes a pathway toward a future peace agreement but also identifies a series of immediate measures that both sides are expected to implement on the ground in the coming weeks.
Axios described the agreement as a significant diplomatic breakthrough but reported that its full implementation could face challenges as long as Hezbollah remains armed and continues to wield influence inside Lebanon.
If implemented, the agreement would mark the first Israeli military withdrawal from territories captured during the expansion of military operations in southern Lebanon following the recent regional conflict involving Iran.
The development comes as a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which took effect last week, has already been tested by repeated violations. Israel has said its recent military actions were carried out in response to what it described as imminent threats from Hezbollah.
A U.S. official told Axios that Secretary Rubio held separate telephone conversations on Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to resolve the remaining differences before the framework agreement was finalized.
The agreement is expected to serve as the foundation for further negotiations, although key political and security issues remain unresolved.
