Beirut

The French Foreign Ministry confirmed on Saturday that it is preparing to deploy a military force to Lebanon intended to replace the existing UNIFIL peacekeeping mission. According to a ministry statement, Paris is actively seeking regional and European backing for the initiative, which aims to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces and stabilize the country amid ongoing conflict.

Violent clashes erupted between Hezbollah supporters and the Lebanese Armed Forces in central Beirut late Friday night and early Saturday morning, marking a sharp escalation in protests against the newly announced framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel.

The U.S. State Department has characterized the recent agreement between Lebanon and Israel as a foundational step toward permanent regional stability, according to statements made Friday evening. A spokesperson for the department told Al Jazeera that the framework provides a viable path to lasting peace, aligning with broader diplomatic understandings currently being navigated by the Trump administration.

IDF forces have not yet begun withdrawing from southern Lebanon and have not received operational orders regarding specific areas to vacate or a timeline for movement, according to material reviewed by The Zioneer Intelligence Desk on Friday night.

Hezbollah issued its first formal response to the emerging Israel-Lebanon framework agreement on Friday night, calling on Lebanese authorities to scrap the deal entirely. The organization characterized the accord as a series of "unilateral concessions" that serve only Israeli interests, signaling a major internal challenge to the pact's implementation within the Lebanese government.

Representatives of the Lebanese government officially signed a U.S.-brokered framework agreement with Israel in Washington on Friday, a development that immediately triggered violent pro-Hezbollah riots in Beirut. The signing ceremony, presided over by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marks a significant shift in regional dynamics, though the situation on the ground remains volatile as the Lebanese Armed Forces deploy to suppress domestic unrest.

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