Israel, Lebanon sign framework agreement with U.S. in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Lead

Israel and Lebanon signed a US-brokered framework agreement in Washington on Friday (June 26, 2026), with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing the deal as "the beginning of the beginning." The agreement, signed by the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors in front of Mr. Rubio, is seen as a first step toward ending months of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

"There is a lot of work ahead," Rubio said at the signing ceremony. "Today is the first step. The first step is sometimes the hardest one."

Coverage Comparison

Reports of the signing were carried across international outlets. Al Jazeera emphasized that the agreement is a "first step" in a peace process, while noting that Israel continues to occupy a large area of southern Lebanon. Deutsche Welle highlighted the framework as a step toward "lasting peace and security," and France 24 (English) similarly framed it as a first step toward peace. The Hindu (World) described the event as a "significant diplomatic milestone."

All outlets reported that Hezbollah was not part of the talks, and several noted that the agreement does not include the group. The Hindu also reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the framework a "great achievement" for Israel.

Key Claims

The framework agreement establishes a trilateral Military Coordination Group for Lebanon, which will be facilitated by the US, according to the State Department. The US has also pledged $100 million in humanitarian assistance.

Rubio said in a statement that the deal "establishes a clear and structured process to restore Lebanon's sovereignty, disarm [Hezbollah] and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure, and enable Israel to return to its borders once that threat to its citizens is removed." He added that the Military Coordination Group will allow both sides to implement the framework.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam wrote on social media that the agreement aims to achieve Israel's withdrawal from all Lebanese territories, Al Jazeera reported. He also noted the deal is a continuation of past agreements and UN resolutions stipulating that the Lebanese military maintains authority over all parts of Lebanon.

Ambassadors Yechiel Leiter of Israel and Nada Hamadeh of Lebanon signed the document. Leiter said the final destination is peace between the two countries, adding: "Real peace, where both countries will live in security, where Israel's and Lebanon's sovereignty will be respected, honored, and protected." He said that will depend on Hezbollah being disarmed, which will allow Israel to withdraw and Lebanon to regain full sovereignty.

Hamadeh described the framework as "a first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities, enabling our people to go back to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace, security, and prosperity."

Netanyahu said the agreement allows Israeli forces to continue to occupy southern Lebanon if Hezbollah does not disarm, and would allow the Lebanese army to begin organizing to take control of territory, starting with two "pilot zones" from which Israeli troops would withdraw, as reported by The Hindu.

Hezbollah was not present for the talks in Washington. Hezbollah official Hassan Fadlallah said that any attempt by the Lebanese army to enforce a Washington-brokered agreement would lead to "civil war," according to a report in The Hindu. Hezbollah has insisted that Israel must leave Lebanon unconditionally, as reported by multiple outlets.

The conflict began when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel days after Israel and the US launched their war on Iran on February 28, according to a report from France 24 (English). Over 4,000 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli strikes since March, a figure reported by Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, France 24, and The Hindu.

The details of the agreement have not been officially published, Al Jazeera noted, and Israel continues to occupy a large area of southern Lebanon.

Perspectives

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at the signing ceremony, framed the agreement as a crucial first step: "There is a lot of work ahead. Today is the first step. The first step is sometimes the hardest one." The State Department, in a statement, said the framework provides Lebanon "a genuine pathway out of a long crisis" and for Israel "a verifiable path to removing the persistent threat on its northern border."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a pre-recorded video, called the framework a "great achievement" for Israel, as reported by The Hindu. Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter expressed a vision of eventual peace: "Our language is we want to embrace Lebanon... That's where we're going. That's where we want to go."

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam emphasized that the agreement aims for Israel's withdrawal from all Lebanese territories, but added that it is essentially a continuation of past agreements and UN resolutions, according to Al Jazeera.

Hezbollah has rejected the initiative. Hezbollah official Hassan Fadlallah warned that enforcing the agreement could lead to "civil war," and the group has insisted on Israel's unconditional withdrawal from Lebanon, as reported by multiple outlets.