On June 26, 2026, in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon as “the beginning of a beginning,” acknowledging that much remains to be done. “Today is the first step. The first step is sometimes the hardest,” he said.
The agreement, reached after months of direct negotiations under U.S. mediation, is a trilateral accord with the United States as a signatory. Its full text has not been released.
According to Rubio, the agreement “establishes a clear and structured process for restoring Lebanese sovereignty, disarming Hezbollah, and dismantling its terrorist infrastructure, while allowing Israel to return to its borders once the threat to its citizens is removed.”
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam wrote on social media that the deal “aims to achieve Israel’s withdrawal from all Lebanese territory.” He stressed that the agreement is essentially a continuation of previous accords and UN resolutions, requiring the Lebanese military to maintain authority over the entire country.
Israel’s Haaretz reported that Israel agreed to withdraw from two areas in southern Lebanon: one north of the “Golden Line”—a military zone extending about 10 km into Lebanon—and another area within that line. However, Reuters cited Israeli and Lebanese officials denying these reports.
On the same day the agreement was signed, Israel carried out airstrikes in the town of Mayfadoun, killing two people, and in Nabatieh al-Fawqa. The Israeli military also dropped leaflets urging residents to leave al-Mansouri. Sporadic clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces continue.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the deal would not lead to a withdrawal from Lebanon “as long as Hezbollah is not disarmed and as long as there is a threat to the State of Israel.” Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called the accord “the first step on Lebanon’s path to restoring sovereignty over all its territory.”
Hezbollah, which was not part of the talks, maintained a hardline stance. Secretary-General Naim Qassem declared “no normalization” with Israel. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah warned that any effort by the Lebanese army to enforce the U.S.-brokered deal could lead to “civil war.” Meanwhile, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich argued that Israel could stay in Lebanon long-term: “We are there until Hezbollah disarms, and I think even after that, because we need a defensible border.”
