Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Saturday evening that Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement under which Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed. Netanyahu called the deal a major achievement and a blow to Iran, saying the ultimate goal is a peace agreement between the two countries.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday evening that the ultimate goal of the framework agreement signed with Lebanon is a peace agreement between the two countries. The statement expands on the deal's long-term vision, which Netanyahu earlier characterized as a historic achievement. The framework was announced Friday night after weeks of diplomacy, as The Zioneer reported.
On Friday, at 20:00 Jerusalem, Netanyahu announced the trilateral framework signed in Washington, which keeps the IDF security zone in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed. The same evening, a senior Israeli political official said the agreement prevents Iran from forcing a unilateral Israeli withdrawal. By Saturday, Defense Minister Israel Katz called the deal a historic achievement (19:13 Jerusalem) and later Netanyahu said the US and Lebanon formally recognized Israel's right to the zone.
Hezbollah has previously claimed the US-Iran agreement includes a ceasefire in Lebanon with no permanent Israeli presence, as The Zioneer reported on June 18. Background reporting from June 15 indicates Hezbollah endorsed the US-Iran deal, claiming it ensures Lebanon's rights.
Key details remain unreleased, including the agreement's exact legal status—whether signed directly with the Lebanese government or through US mediation—and the timelines for the pilot zones and disarmament verification mechanisms.
14 developments
- DevelopingNetanyahu: Israel establishing buffer zone in southern Lebanon, will prevent Iran nuclear arms
- StrongUnverified report claims US, Lebanon sign deal recognizing Israeli security zone in southern Lebanon
- DevelopingNetanyahu: Israel will remain in Lebanon as long as needed, defying reported Iranian condition on Hormuz
- StrongNetanyahu, defense chiefs reaffirm IDF will maintain security zone in southern Lebanon
Source and signal
- Internal intake