WASHINGTON, United States: Lebanon, Israel and the United States on Friday signed a trilateral framework agreement intended to lay the groundwork for a future peace deal between the two longtime regional rivals.
The agreement, whose details have not been made public, follows five rounds of negotiations in Washington aimed at ending decades of hostility and recent fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the framework “begins to put in place a foundation for lasting peace and security.”
“It’s the beginning of the beginning,” Rubio said “There’s a lot of work ahead. Today is the first step. The first step is sometimes the hardest one.”
SECRETARY RUBIO: “We’re happy to announce a framework agreement between the sovereign government of Lebanon and the government of Israel, with the mediation and support of the United States of America.” pic.twitter.com/0Zbd9HRKmh
— Department of State (@StateDept) June 26, 2026
Lebanon’s ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, described the agreement as “a first step” toward restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent cessation of hostilities and enabling displaced residents to return to their homes.
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, said the deal would remove Iranian and Hezbollah influence from the equation, declaring that “Iran is out, Hezbollah is out, and the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in.”
The latest agreement follows months of conflict that escalated after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel on March 2, saying the attack was in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli strikes.
Israel responded with extensive air strikes and a ground offensive in Lebanon, which Lebanese authorities say has killed more than 4,200 people.
Under US mediation, Lebanese and Israeli officials began direct negotiations in Washington in April. A ceasefire announced on April 17 failed to end the fighting, but a new truce was declared this month after Tehran insisted that its agreement with Washington to end the broader conflict launched in late February should also include Lebanon.
Netanyahu says Israel to remain in south Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel would remain in South Lebanon until Hezbollah disarms, shortly after the announcement in Washington of a framework agreement with the United States and Lebanon.
“The most important thing is, first of all, that Israel remains in the security zone in southern Lebanon. This is a major achievement, and we will maintain it as long as Hezbollah has not disarmed,” Netanyahu said in a pre-recorded video shared with Israeli media.
Netanyahu added that Israel’s military would also allow the Lebanese army to control territory in “two pilot areas”, one south of Lebanon’s Litani River and another north of it.
Israel issues evacuation orders in south Lebanon
Earlier, Israeli forces have dropped leaflets over a town in southern Lebanon ordering residents to evacuate, Lebanese state media reported. According to Reuters, it marks the first such evacuation order issued since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect.
The town is located near the boundary of the area where Israeli forces remain deployed inside southern Lebanon, according to Israel’s designated positions.
Hezbollah chief says Israel must ‘unconditionally’ leave Lebanon
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Friday said Israel has “no option” but to withdraw from Lebanese areas it occupies.
“Israel has no option but to withdraw completely from every inch of our Lebanese land… Israel must leave unconditionally,” Qassem said.
