Behind the scenes: How shared fear of Iran led to an Israel-Lebanon deal

According to Axios, Israeli and Lebanese negotiators reached a historic framework agreement this week in Washington after four days of intense diplomacy. The deal—brokered by the Trump administration—marks the most significant political accord between the two countries in forty years. What united them: a shared fear of Iran and Hezbollah influence in Lebanon. The agreement calls for Israeli troop withdrawals and Lebanese military deployment in southern Lebanon. But skepticism abounds. U.S., Israeli, and Lebanese officials acknowledge the vision of peace the deal outlines may never materialize—and there's deep concern Hezbollah could respond violently, potentially triggering civil war. That concern is already playing out. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem called the agreement "null and void," labeling it a humiliation and surrender of sovereignty. The group tried organizing protests in Beirut but mobilized only several hundred people. Still, the deal has increased internal tensions in Lebanon—a sign of how fragile the situation remains.

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