Israel, Lebanon, and the United States signed a 14-point trilateral framework agreement and security annex in Washington on Friday, June 26, 2026.
The deal aims to remove Hezbollah from southern Lebanon and establish a phased process for restoring Lebanese sovereignty.
The agreement, reached during the fifth round of U. S.
-mediated negotiations since April, outlines a performance-based pilot program.
Under the plan, the Israel Defense Forces will withdraw from two designated areas around the Litani River and transfer control to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
US Announces Support Package
U. S.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the launch of a trilateral Military Coordination Group for Lebanon.
He also revealed a $100 million humanitarian aid contribution with the United Nations and $30 million in reimbursements for the Lebanese military to support the transition.
"It’s the beginning of the beginning. There’s a lot of work ahead," Rubio said at the State Department signing ceremony.
He later emphasized the importance of the initial diplomatic milestone while condemning Hezbollah's regional activities.
"The first step sometimes is the hardest one, but it’s important," Rubio said.
He expressed hope for future progress to ensure mutual coexistence and prosperity between the nations, while describing Hezbollah as an Iranian proxy that fuels violence through international drug trafficking networks.
"We don’t, in any way, underestimate the difficulty of the task ahead. But we understand the importance of it, how vital it is.
And we are honored to play a part in bringing this together," Rubio added.
Israeli and Lebanese Reactions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterized the diplomatic framework as a major achievement that preserves Israel's security parameters while pushing back against Iranian regional influence.
"We are maintaining the original security zone outside the range of anti-tank missiles," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu clarified that the IDF is leaving specific positions it no longer requires but will maintain its broader presence until Hezbollah is completely dismantled.
"We are not allowing Hezbollah to enter there, nor the population.
It is being maintained, and the most important thing is that Israel says, ‘Our security comes first,’" Netanyahu stated.
Netanyahu noted that the joint agreement serves as an explicit rejection of Iranian interference by all three signatory nations.
"This is also a major blow to Iran," he said. According to Netanyahu, the trilateral coalition is sending a clear message to Tehran regarding southern Lebanon.
"Iran is trying to force us into a withdrawal from southern Lebanon by force.
In effect, Israel, Lebanon, and the United States are telling them: this is none of your business," Netanyahu stated.
He concluded by reiterating the conditions required for a complete military pullback: "We will maintain (the buffer zone) until Hezbollah disarms and as long as there is a threat to the State of Israel."
Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh framed the signing as a patriotic victory focused on reclaiming territorial integrity and protecting civilian life.
"The trilateral framework we signed today is the first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities," Hamadeh said.
Hamadeh extended her gratitude to the American hosts and the participating delegations for completing the intense rounds of negotiations.
"This was a long and difficult meeting.
We are grateful to the host and to the two delegations for their cooperation during these talks," she added.
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter commended the Lebanese diplomat's firm stance during the negotiations while stressing that future milestones depend entirely on the performance of the Lebanese army.
"You and your team set an example for patriotism to your country," Leiter said to Hamadeh.
Leiter praised her determination during the five rounds of talks in Washington. "You fight like a lioness," he said.
Leiter recalled his earlier warnings about potential diplomatic disruptions caused by separate agreements between Washington and Tehran.
"With a lot of hard work, we have put the train back on the tracks and going in the right direction," Leiter said.
He defined the final goal of the framework as a secure, permanent peace where the sovereignty of both nations is mutually protected.
"Final destination? Peace between our two countries.
Real peace, where both countries will live in security, where Israel’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty will be respected, honored and protected," Leiter said.
He confirmed that the framework successfully excluded Iranian oversight from the security arrangements.
"In this performance-based, trilateral framework agreement, Iran is out, Hezbollah is out, and the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in," Leiter said.
He explained that the timeline remains flexible and dependent on real benchmarks on the ground.
"The agreement facilitates Israel’s continued presence in a security zone until such time that the Lebanese army is strong enough and supported enough by the United States in order to assume full responsibility over Lebanese sovereignty," Leiter said.
He emphasized that further territory handovers would only occur as Hezbollah is systematically disarmed.
"This will be a staged and performance-based move forward to the degree that the Lebanese army performs in dismantling and disarming Hezbollah," Leiter said.
He outlined the subsequent phases of the border stabilization plan: "We will proceed with additional pilot zones and the ultimate determination of an internationally recognized, secure and agreed-upon border."
Leiter argued that true Lebanese self-determination cannot coexist with the presence of militant factions.
"(Lebanese sovereignty) is not going to be expressed fully as long as Hezbollah is occupying their country," he said.
Leiter concluded by stating that foreign military operations would continue until security threats are resolved.
"These are hostile occupiers of Lebanon," he said, emphasizing the finality of the disarmament prerequisite: "They need to go out."
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed the agreement, viewing it as a pathway toward independent statehood free from parallel authorities.
He said Lebanese citizens would "return to their fully liberated land … under sovereignty of a Lebanese state that has no partner in its sovereignty over its land and its people."
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem rejected the Washington accord, labeling the concessions made by the Lebanese government as "humiliation."
In a follow-up public statement issued on Saturday, Qassem described the agreement as "a squandering of Lebanon’s sovereignty."
Legal Concerns Raised
Legal analysts raised concerns over Article 13 of the agreement, which binds both nations to cease hostile actions in international legal forums, potentially impacting war crime investigations.
"This will kill any hope of granting the ICC jurisdiction, even any hope of a UN fact-finding mission," said former human rights ministry adviser Farouk al-Moghrabi.
Nizar Saghieh, head of the NGO Legal Agenda, argued that the clause effectively normalizes alleged wartime infractions.
"The government is normalising the crime and waiving its rights to ensure any investigation or the prosecution of these crimes, or even to assist the victim in their search for justice," Saghieh said.
Saghieh expressed concern that the timing of the accord undermines ongoing accountability efforts.
"The fact that this is happening after all of these crimes, this is normalisation of the crimes and ensuring some kind of impunity to Israel," he said.
The Lebanese National Human Rights Commission released a statement asserting that state agreements cannot legally invalidate a victim's inherent right to judicial recourse.
"The commission emphasises that prosecuting perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and torture does not constitute an act of hostility or a political stance, but rather a legitimate exercise of the rights to justice," the commission stated.
The framework text remains subject to interpretation, as the commission noted that the vague wording makes it unclear what specific legal filings would be restricted under the definition of hostile actions.
