Lebanon, Israel sign US-backed framework for peace deal

Lebanon, Israel, and the United States signed a trilateral framework agreement on Friday, a significant diplomatic step toward a potential peace deal between the two nations.

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begins to put in place a framework for lasting peace and security

The agreement, which emerged from five rounds of talks in Washington, aims to end decades of hostilities and recent fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the accord "begins to put in place a framework for lasting peace and security."

Lebanon's ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, described the accord as a "first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities (and) enabling our people to go back to their land." Israel's envoy to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, expressed optimism, saying, "Iran is out, Hezbollah is out, and the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in."

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is a first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities (and) enabling our people to go back to their land.

The diplomatic effort follows devastating Israeli air strikes and an invasion in March, which Lebanon reported killed over 4,200 people. A previous truce announced in April failed to halt the fighting, but a new cease-fire was declared this month amid broader U.S.-Iran negotiations.

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under the deal, "Iran is out, Hezbollah is out, and the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in."