Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the newly signed framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon as a big strategic blow for Iran, reaffirming Jerusalem’s stance that Israeli troops will continue to remain stationed in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed and is no longer a threat to Israeli security.
The agreement broadly reaffirms Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon once the threat posed by Hezbollah and other armed groups is eliminated, ceding control of all occupied territory to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
Speaking after the agreement’s signing in Washington, Netanyahu said that lengthy negotiations with Lebanon had proven conducive in delivering results bolstering the Israeli stance, calling the continued military presence in a security zone inside Lebanon as one of the deal’s key achievements.
“The most important thing is that Israel remains in the security zone in southern Lebanon. This is a major achievement, and we will maintain it until Hezbollah disarms and as long as there is a threat to Israel,” Netanyahu said, according to Ynet News.
Describing the agreement as a big blow to Tehran’s regional influence, he said “This is also a serious blow to Iran. In essence, Israel, Lebanon and the United States are telling them, ‘This is none of your business.’”
Netanyahu added that Israel would continue to maintain what he described as its original security zone beyond the range of anti-tank missiles, while allowing the Lebanese military to gradually establish control over designated areas under a pilot programme recommended by the IDF.
The framework agreement was announced on Friday in Washington by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio alongside Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad and was intended to serve as a roadmap towards for a broader peace agreement post the agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.
According to the text published by the US State Department, the agreement provides for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory as security conditions permit.
As per the document, both countries seek “to conclusively end the conflict and address its underlying causes” and commits Beirut to restoring full state authority across its territory, including the disarmament of all non-state armed groups.
Under the agreement, the LAF will assume responsibility for security and military control throughout the country, a process that is intended to create conditions enabling the IDF to progressively redeploy from Lebanese territory.
The finer details of the phased process, including implementation, security arrangements, verification mechanisms and timelines for Israeli withdrawals, are expected to be outlined in a separate annex which will be designed in coordination with the US.
The framework also identifies two pilot areas in southern Lebanon where Israeli forces will gradually transfer control to Lebanese troops, although the specific locations remain classified.
