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Lebanon’s resistance movement Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to a preliminary deal to de-escalate the ongoing conflict. Both sides signed the agreement after several days of negotiations mediated by the United States. However, the concerned parties have stated that this is not a complete solution, but rather an initial step towards establishing peace.
Reuters reported on Friday (June 26) that Lebanon’s Ambassador Nada Mouawad and Israel’s Ambassador Yechiel Leiter signed a tripartite document at a ceremony held at the US State Department, in the presence of American representatives. The detailed terms of the agreement have not yet been released.
Regarding the agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that if Hezbollah does not surrender its weapons, Israeli forces will have the opportunity to maintain their presence in southern Lebanon under this deal.
Before the signing of the agreement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that although this initiative marks the beginning of a long and difficult process, it is a very important and timely step.
In a subsequent statement, Rubio announced that the United States would assist in implementing the agreement through the ‘Military Coordination Group for Lebanon’. Washington has also pledged to allocate necessary funds and resources, including immediate humanitarian aid worth $100 million, in coordination with the United Nations.
It is worth noting that the conflict extended to Lebanon following a joint US-Israeli military operation last February. Subsequently, in response to Hezbollah’s attacks, Israeli air and ground operations in Lebanon have killed over 4,000 people and displaced more than 1 million.
Lebanon’s Ambassador Nada Mouawad described this agreement as a crucial first step towards restoring the country’s sovereignty. On the other hand, Israel’s Ambassador Yechiel Leiter claimed that the diminishing influence of Iran and Hezbollah has created new possibilities for establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated that this agreement would provide displaced citizens with the opportunity to return to their homes. He also emphasized that the role of any other armed force would not be acceptable concerning the country’s sovereignty.
Despite the ceasefire, the conflict in Lebanon has not entirely ceased. On Friday, the Israeli military reported that one Hezbollah member was killed in an operation in Lebanon. However, Reuters could not confirm the veracity of this information.
On the other hand, Israeli forces distributed leaflets instructing Lebanese residents to leave their areas. Lebanese state media reported that Israeli forces dropped leaflets in Mansouri town in southern Lebanon on Friday, ordering residents to evacuate. This is the first such directive issued since the ceasefire came into effect.
Source: Reuters