Israel and Lebanon announced early Thursday that they had agreed to implement a ceasefire and establish “pilot zones” under the exclusive control of the Lebanese Army, according to a joint statement issued after two days of talks between the two sides in Washington.
The announcement came amid continued violence that saw Israeli airstrikes kill nine people in Lebanon, while Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching rockets into northern Israel for the first time since Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to strike Beirut’s southern suburbs if the group carried out such attacks.
The joint statement said that Israel and Lebanon reaffirmed that they hold no hostile intentions toward one another and committed to continuing direct negotiations. The two sides also agreed to resume political and security discussions during the week beginning 22 June, with the goal of reaching a comprehensive agreement.
The ceasefire is contingent upon a complete halt to Hezbollah’s military activities and the withdrawal of all its personnel from areas south of the Litani River.
The statement added that, under U.S. guidance, both parties agreed to accelerate the establishment of pilot zones where the Lebanese Armed Forces would exercise exclusive authority, with no presence of non-state armed groups.
According to the statement, the delegations discussed a security framework based on talks held at the Pentagon on 29 May, aimed at ensuring the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of both Lebanon and Israel. The framework includes the dismantling of non-state armed groups and preventing their reconstitution.
The United States also reaffirmed its support for the Lebanese Army to strengthen its capabilities and enable it to extend state authority across all Lebanese territory.
The statement further noted that the parties condemned Iranian attacks against countries in the region and activities they said undermine stability in the Middle East.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he wanted to “separate” discussions concerning Lebanon from those related to Iran, while Tehran has maintained that the two issues are interconnected.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Trump shares his objective of disarming Hezbollah and establishing a demilitarized Lebanon as a step toward peace between the two countries.
In an interview with CNBC, Netanyahu said: “If we want to save Lebanon, and if we want peace between Lebanon and Israel—which is what I want—we must strip Hezbollah of its arsenal and make Lebanon demilitarized.”
The fourth round of direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, mediated by U.S. officials, took place in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope on Wednesday that the ongoing negotiations would produce an actionable security plan for Lebanon.
Lebanon and Israel had previously agreed to a cessation of hostilities in April and later extended the arrangement in May, although violence continued.
Lebanese security sources reported that Israeli drone strikes killed at least six people in southern Lebanon and targeted a vehicle south of Beirut on Wednesday. Israel, meanwhile, said it intercepted a hostile aerial target believed to have been launched by Hezbollah.
A U.S.-brokered agreement announced on Monday led Israel to suspend plans to strike Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, while the Iran-backed group paused cross-border attacks.
Israel has been conducting operations inside Lebanon since March to pursue Hezbollah fighters who have launched attacks across the border in support of Iran.
Iran has repeatedly stated that it will not accept any agreement ending the conflict that erupted in late February unless a ceasefire in Lebanon is included as part of the arrangement.
Source: Reuters
