Beirut and Tel Aviv signed a U.S.-mediated framework agreement on Friday evening, attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two sides will launch formal talks at the official level, according to The Zioneer's intelligence desk.
The U.S.-mediated framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon was formally signed in Washington on Friday evening, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio attending the ceremony. Rubio described the agreement as 'just the beginning' and noted that 'there is still a long way to go,' as reported by Moriah Asraf and Doron Kadosh (N13 / Army Radio). The signing followed four days of intensive negotiations and the resolution of remaining differences in overnight calls between Rubio, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, as The Zioneer reported earlier.
Earlier Friday, the first reports emerged from a Lebanese source speaking to Al Jazeera, which set the expected signing at 20:00 and mentioned an Israeli withdrawal from two areas in southern Lebanon as 'a preamble to a full withdrawal' — though that account was single-sourced and unverified at the time. Within minutes, a senior Israeli official confirmed to journalist Yaron Avraham that a tripartite framework had been signed, calling it a step toward future accords and a peace settlement. The framework reportedly includes arrangements along the Yellow Line security zone in southern Lebanon and grants Israel a role in approving the success of pilot zones there, as journalist Barak Ravid (N12) reported.
The two sides will now begin formal talks at the professional level to finalize practical implementation steps. The broader diplomatic context includes ongoing U.S. efforts on the Israel-Lebanon track, which, as The Zioneer reported on Thursday, saw Rubio describe the preceding day's talks as having produced 'very good results.'
Specific operational details of the pilot zones and the timeline for a full IDF withdrawal remain open, pending the formal talks that are set to begin following the framework's signing.
15 developments
- StrongIsrael reportedly heading toward partial withdrawal from Lebanon, contradicting public statements
- DevelopingReport: Full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon agreed upon
- DevelopingFull text of Israel-Lebanon framework: gradual IDF withdrawal after Hezbollah disarmament
- DevelopingSaturday: IDF prepares to begin withdrawal from southern Lebanon pilot zones on Sunday
Source and signal
- Internal intake