Israel and Lebanon sign a US-brokered framework agreement in Washington that officials describe as a “first step” toward peace amid months of conflict involving the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio joins Israel’s ambassador, Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanon’s ambassador, Nada Hamadeh, for the announcement and signing of the framework.
According to the US State Department, the agreement does not include Hezbollah and focuses on a process intended to reduce Hezbollah’s role. The framework lays out steps for dismantling Hezbollah and for Lebanon to work toward regaining territory that Israeli forces took during battles with the group. The United States says it will facilitate implementation through a newly created “Military Coordination Group for Lebanon.”
The State Department also says the US commits $100 million in humanitarian assistance. While some sources report that Hezbollah-linked officials in Lebanon warn that the deal could fuel domestic unrest, the details of the agreement are not broadly released publicly by the officials who attended the signing.
