Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement

According to Axios, Israel and Lebanon have signed a framework agreement after four days of negotiations in Washington, mediated by the Trump administration. The agreement outlines a path toward a future peace deal and includes immediate steps. The countries will launch two pilot projects: the Israeli military will withdraw from small occupied areas in southern Lebanon, and the Lebanese army will deploy there. United States military officers will verify that these areas—one north of the Litani River and one south—have no Hezbollah presence. While the withdrawal will be limited, it marks the first Israeli pullback since expanding its occupation during the recent war. A fragile ceasefire has held since last Saturday. The real test, however, is whether Hezbollah, which still maintains significant influence in Lebanon, will abide by the framework. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended the signing at the State Department, calling it a good day while cautioning that there is a lot of work ahead.

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