Israel and Lebanon signed an initial trilateral framework agreement at the US State Department on Friday, June 26, 2026, in a ceremony presided over by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marking the first formal accord between the two countries, which have never held diplomatic relations. Israel's Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter and Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh signed the document following four days of talks in Washington. A senior Israeli official described the agreement as a first step toward ending the conflict and pursuing a broader peace settlement.
Rubio said the agreement establishes a process to restore Lebanon's sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its infrastructure, and enable Israel to return to its borders once that threat is removed [Source: The Times of Israel]. He described the signing as 'the beginning of the beginning,' acknowledging that significant work remains ahead. Rubio also announced an immediate $100 million US donation toward humanitarian assistance, to be coordinated with the United Nations.
Under the framework, Israel will withdraw from two areas in southern Lebanon, transferring those sites to the Lebanese military. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified one area as north of the Litani River and a second as south of it. Netanyahu characterised the agreement as a major win for Israel, saying it allows Israeli forces to remain in much of the territory they occupy in southern Lebanon and to hold that ground for as long as Hezbollah remains unarmed. The agreement also creates a trilateral Military Coordination Group for Lebanon, facilitated by the United States, to oversee implementation.
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun welcomed the accord as a first step toward fully restoring his country's sovereignty following the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah. However, Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah member of Lebanon's parliament, said the Iran-backed group rejected direct negotiations with Israel and called on the Lebanese government to retract the negotiations and decisions made [Source: CNN].
The signing came after the US State Department hosted a fifth round of high-level trilateral talks. A fourth round, held on June 2 and 3, 2026, had produced an agreement contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector. Separately, on June 17, 2026, the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding that included a requirement for the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. More than 4,000 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli strikes since March, and at least 37 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon or northern Israel during the fighting. Hezbollah has maintained that it is only required by previous agreements and UN resolutions to disarm in the area south of the Litani River. Previous ceasefires between Israel and Hezbollah have still seen near-daily cross-border strikes.
Sources: Bloomberg, NBC News, Associated Press, The Times of Israel, CNN, BBC News, Al Jazeera, US Department of State