June 26, 2026
Introduction
The Lebanon-Israel Framework Agreement of June 2026 is a sovereignty-for-security bargain. It offers Lebanon a route to reclaim its territory and political authority while giving Israel a process for removing Hezbollah’s military threat from the border. Its promise is historic; its weakness is obvious. For the agreement to endure, the Lebanese state, not Hezbollah, must control Lebanese land.
Historically, this agreement is potentially a turning point in Lebanese-Israeli relations. Earlier arrangements reached pieces of what this framework attempts, but none offered one, sequenced plan combining mutual recognition; direct, bilateral negotiations; Hezbollah disarmament; Lebanese state sovereignty; Israeli withdrawal; U.S. verification; and international reconstruction.
The agreement is promising in scope. It does not merely freeze violence or settle a boundary issue; it proposes a three-country commitment to have Lebanon become the sole military authority on its own territory. In 1949, Lebanon and Israel signed only an armistice agreement to end active hostilities. In 1996, after Israel’s Operation Grapes of Wrath against Hezbollah, the parties accepted restrictions on their fighting with the United States involved in a behavior-monitoring mechanism. In 2006, after the Second Lebanon War, in which Israel fought Hezbollah, the U.N. Security Council passed Resolution 1701 to force Hezbollah’s withdrawal north of the Litani River, but Hezbollah remained. In 2022, the United States mediated a maritime boundary dispute but avoided land borders, Hezbollah, normalization and the state of war.
With U.S. backing under President Donald Trump, Israel and Lebanon affirm each state’s right to exist in peace and declare their intent to end the state of war through direct, bilateral negotiations. The agreement’s core bargain is sequenced and conditional. Lebanon commits to restoring full state authority over its territory, rebuilding the Lebanese Armed Forces’ monopoly on the use of force, and achieving the verified disarmament of Hezbollah and all other nonstate armed groups. Israel, in turn, promises that it has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon and will progressively redeploy from Lebanese territory as threats are dismantled and Lebanese state control is verified.
Implementation begins through two pilot zones, where the LAF assumes security responsibility, civilians return, reconstruction starts, and U.S.-supported verification monitors compliance. American assistance and international reconstruction funds are tied to transparency, milestones and safeguards, preventing money from reaching armed groups.
Regionally, the framework could weaken Iran’s forward position, stabilize Israel’s northern border, give relief to 150,000 Israeli civilians living within six miles of the border, strengthen Lebanese sovereignty, generate a stable setting for an Israeli-Syrian agreement, invite Arab-backed reconstruction, and support the broad foreign policy goals of moderate Arab states such as Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states that seek to foster regional economic development while curbing Iran’s revolutionary zeal.
Can Israel, Lebanon, the United States, and select European and Arab countries work in consort over two to five years to wrest control of Lebanese territory from Hezbollah and disarm a militia that refuses to be contained, constrained or cut off from Iranian funds?
— Ken Stein, June 27, 2026
The following is the text of the Trilateral Framework agreement signed by the United States, Israel and Lebanon in Washington on June 26, 2026.
The Government of Israel and the Government of Lebanon, with the full support of the United States under President Donald J. Trump, affirm their shared goal of achieving lasting peace and security. As reflected in this Trilateral Framework (“Framework”), and through future agreements, the two countries declare their ambition to end conflict between them, ensure the sovereignty and security of both countries, and establish peaceful neighborly relations between the two countries.
1. Israel and Lebanon affirm the right of each state to exist in peace, and their mutual desire to live in security as neighboring sovereign states. Israel and Lebanon hereby declare their intent to conclusively end the conflict, address its underlying causes, and to therewith formally conclude any state of war between them. This Framework, reached after multiple rounds of direct negotiations between the parties, builds upon previous successful agreements and understandings, and expresses a determination to make irreversible progress towards the comprehensive resolution of all issues between the two countries. Both countries affirm their intention to resolve these issues as sovereign states through direct bilateral negotiations, with the mediation and support of the United States.
2. The Government of Israel and the Government of Lebanon commit to a reciprocal, sequenced process, with clear conditions, whereby the LAF [Lebanese Armed Forces] will restore effective sovereign authority over all Lebanese territory, pending the verified disarmament of non-state armed groups and dismantlement of associated infrastructure, enabling the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to progressively redeploy out of the Lebanese territory. The components of this process will be detailed in a Security Annex, developed with the full support of the United States, that will complement this Framework. The Framework will set out the requisite measures, security arrangements, and verification mechanisms to advance this process. Successful implementation of this Framework will pave the way for a stable and peaceful relationship between the two countries and will enable the IDF to redeploy out of the Lebanese territory.
3. Pursuant to the Security Annex, and as part of the broader effort toward the Lebanese state’s monopoly of arms and sovereign territorial control, the LAF will gradually assume full and effective security responsibility in pilot zones, which will serve as the mechanism for phased and verified redeployments of the IDF and the deployments of the LAF. Two initial zones have been agreed to by the IDF and the LAF, and future pilot zones will also be agreed upon by mutual consent. Upon the confirmation of successful disarmament of non-state armed groups and dismantlement of their infrastructure in these zones, the LAF will assume full and effective security responsibility in these zones, internationally supported reconstruction efforts will begin, and Lebanese civilians will be able to safely return to these areas under the exclusive control of Lebanese state authorities. The United States intends to work closely with both countries to verify and support this process.
4. The Government of Lebanon reaffirms its resolute and irreversible commitment to restoring and exercising full sovereignty over all its territory. The Government of Lebanon will rebuild the State’s monopoly on the use of force, achieve the complete and verified disarmament of all non-state armed groups, and ensure that such groups will have no military or security role and no armed capabilities anywhere in Lebanon. The Government of Lebanon herewith requests the support of international and particularly Arab partners, under the leadership of the United States, to achieve this outcome.
5. The Government of Israel stresses that its military actions in Lebanon are solely a consequence of the attacks, threat posed by, and hostile intent of non-state armed groups, particularly Hizballah. The Government of Israel underscores that the termination of this threat, through the disarmament and dismantlement of such groups in all of Lebanon and additional security arrangements to be agreed upon between the two countries, will eliminate any future need for IDF military action or presence in Lebanon. Pursuant to the above, the Government of Israel declares that it has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon.
6. The Government of Lebanon, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and in exercise of its sovereign authority, reaffirms that its security forces hold exclusive responsibility for Lebanon’s security and defense and that the Government of Lebanon holds the exclusive sovereign authority to make war and peace. The Government of Lebanon rejects the claims of any state or non-state actor to use force on its behalf without its explicit authorization, and reiterates that any claim by any state or non-state actor to exercise a military or security role is illegal per the decisions of the Lebanese Government and contrary to Lebanese national interests.
7. The Government of Lebanon and the Government of Israel affirm that nothing in this Framework prevents them from exercising their inherent right to defend themselves, as recognized in the Charter of the United Nations and consistent with applicable international law, reaffirming that no third party may exercise that right on their behalf. Both governments commit to establishing a military coordination group, with U.S. support and participation, to ensure overall implementation of this Framework.
8. The two countries affirm that they share the objective of a secure, rebuilt Lebanon, under full Lebanese state sovereignty, in which no non-state armed group poses a threat to Israel, Lebanon, or citizens of either country. Furthermore, the two countries recognize that the restoration of security in South Lebanon through the deployment of the LAF, the safe return of its civilian population, and the security of Israel’s northern communities are essential to long-term stability and peace.
9. The Government of Lebanon commits to a rigorous, performance-based program to enable the capacity of the LAF to assert full military and security control within Lebanon in accordance with security arrangements, agreed upon within the framework of negotiations, and to implement the disarmament of all non-state armed groups and exercise effective authority across Lebanon. The Government of Lebanon welcomes the readiness of the United States to support such efforts, recognizing that any new U.S. assistance will be strictly conditioned on verifiable milestones, full transparency, demonstrated results, and ongoing oversight. This effort will enable the safe and orderly re-establishment of Lebanese sovereignty, also contributing to the broader stability and security of the entire Middle East.
10. Separately, and simultaneously, the United States will rally international partners to actively support the Government of Lebanon in rebuilding the country, repairing infrastructure, restoring the economy, and creating opportunities for prosperity. This is expected to include mobilizing substantial reconstruction and humanitarian assistance for Lebanon, economic recovery programs, and investment initiatives so that Lebanon can recover from years of conflict and provide a better future for all its citizens.
11. Lebanon and the United States commit to preventing funds from flowing to any entity, organization, or individual affiliated with non-state armed groups and to take available legal measures to proscribe the activity of any such entity, organization or individual. The Government of Lebanon explicitly commits to prevent reconstruction funds from flowing to non-state armed groups and connected entities.
12. Upon the signing of this Framework, the two countries will work to establish working groups to draft the full comprehensive peace and security agreement. Moreover, to achieve the goals of the Framework, the two governments will immediately establish complementary tracks of ongoing direct engagement, facilitated by the United States. The two governments commit to proceeding in good faith until a full and lasting peace is achieved, bringing security, stability, and prosperity to the people of Israel and Lebanon.
13. In line with their shared goals to establish stable and peaceful relations, Israel and Lebanon commit to take good faith measures that demonstrate positive intent, including the cessation of all hostile or adverse actions in international political or legal fora, and pledge to work towards the search for and return of remains and the release of detainees.
14. The two governments acknowledge the role of the United States in supporting their efforts to end decades of conflict and establish lasting stability and comprehensive peace between the two countries and express their deep appreciation for the vision and leadership of President Donald J. Trump.
Signed at Washington, D.C., on the 26th of June, 2026, in three originals, in the English language.
The following are remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Moawad at the signing ceremony.
Secretary Rubio: Thank you. Today is a good day in that we are happy to announce the — a framework agreement between the sovereign government of Lebanon and of course the government of Israel, with the mediation and support of the United States of America, that begins to put in place a framework for lasting peace and security. And that’s what these two nations deserve.
The people of Lebanon have suffered tremendously now for decades as a result of outside interference in their affairs, of countries trying to use the country as a launchpad for attacks, and this is not what the people of Lebanon want, and that’s not what they deserve. What they deserve to have is what they once had, and of which there is recent history of, and that is a prosperous and peaceful country, a diverse country where people of different backgrounds are able to live and coexist side by side and, in many ways, was the envy of the region and of the world. And it will take a lot of work and some time to get back to that point, but we believe today is the first step in that journey. And the first step is sometimes the hardest step, but it’s the one we’re taking together today.
Obviously, the people of Israel deserve to live in peace and security — the people of northern Israel in particular, who have been targeted repeatedly by terrorist attacks launched from the territory of Lebanon but not by the Lebanese people, not by the Lebanese government, but by an outside actor who has sought to use that territory to target innocent civilians who have been unable to live in these places for a long time. Every time a siren goes off, you have to stop your schoolwork, you have to stop — you have to wake up. You have to stop going to work, and you have to run into a bunker or a basement and protect yourself.
So as I said today, as I told all the parties here today, it’s the beginning of the beginning. There is a lot of work ahead. We don’t in any way underestimate the difficulty of the task ahead. But we understand the importance of it, how vital it is, and we are honored to have played a part in bringing this together.
I want to specifically recognize all of the representatives here from both sides, the ambassador from Lebanon to the United States, who’s a phenomenal ambassador, who I’ve known for a while, who we even share a common background here in the United States coming from the — we have Florida ties. And so we’re very grateful for all the work she’s put in. Obviously Ambassador Leiter and his team and the work they’ve done here today. Everyone, all the team that you see assembled here today, including the support we got from the Department of War in these conversations. Our ambassador to Lebanon has done a great job, and we’re so honored he’s here with us today, and our team here, led by Dan Holler, our counselor, our team here at the State Department did a phenomenal job. If people want to see the value of professional diplomatic work and of diplomacy, that’s what the team here has put together, and I’m very proud of what we’ve done here at this department in bringing this about.
As I said, today is the first step. This first step sometimes is the hardest one, but it’s an important one and the one we’ve taken together. And we’re very grateful that this has come about and that the timing is such that all of you could cover it and report it back, and hopefully we’ll have many more of these conversations and make real and tangible progress so that the people of both of these countries can be hopeful about their future — a future of peace, a future of prosperity, a future of mutual coexistence in a way that’s beneficial to the men and women and children, including those not yet born, who deserve what all people deserve, and that is the right to live in their country without fear of harm, without fear of war, without fear of conflict.
And that’s what we hope to be able to facilitate and achieve, and today we’ve taken the first step in what will be a difficult journey, without a doubt, but an important and an essential and a necessary one. And we’re very proud to be a part of it. Thank you for covering it, and now I think we will formalize what our conversations here have been about.
Ambassador Hamadeh: Thank you. On behalf of President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam, we would like to thank President Trump, Secretary Rubio, Counselor Holler, Ambassador Issa and the U.S. government team for hosting and facilitating these historic talks in Washington, D.C.
The Trilateral Framework we sign today is 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.
This was a long and difficult meeting. We are grateful to the hosts and to the two delegations for their cooperation during these talks. This milestone was made possible through the leadership of President Aoun, the tenacity of Prime Minister Salam, the resilience of Ambassador Karam and the patriotism of the Lebanese Armed Forces. Thank you all so much.
Ambassador Leiter: Your excellencies, ambassadors, Mr. Secretary, I want to first express my appreciation to Secretary Rubio and his incredible team. Under his leadership, we’ve advanced President Trump’s vision of peace and security, of peace through strength. We’ve advanced a historical and important process forward.
I want to express my deepest appreciation to my colleagues — Dr. Draznin of the NSA, our Foreign Ministry personnel, our IDF officers — who worked alongside together with me under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Netanyahu and his team back in Jerusalem. I also want to thank her excellency, Ambassador Hamadeh, for being a very tough negotiator. You and your team set an example for patriotism to your country. You fight like a lioness, Ms. Ambassador.
In my opening remarks four days ago, I expressed concern that this train was running off the tracks, that Iran and its proxies wanted a trainwreck. Well, with a lot of hard work under your leadership, Dan, together with Secretary Rubio and his entire staff — indefatigable team — we have put the train back on the tracks, and it’s running in the right direction. Final destination: peace between our two countries — real peace, where both countries will live in security, where Israel’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty will be respected, honored and protected.
In this performance-based Trilateral Framework Agreement, Iran is out, Hezbollah is out, and the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in. This would not have been possible without the resilience of the people of Israel and especially the residents of our northern Galilee, who have remained resolute in the face of Hezbollah terror.
And last but not least, I want to thank the real heroes who have made this possible: the men and women of the IDF, who selflessly defend Israel, many of whom have given their lives in the battle against Iran and its proxies. I thank God for the privilege of representing the people of Israel and to sign this document on their behalf.
This week’s Torah portion, the Bible portion in synagogues all across the world, tells of a false prophet by the name of Balaam who came to curse but ended up blessing. May we together turn the curses of war into blessings of peace.
God bless Israel, may God bless Lebanon, and may God bless the United States of America and all those who pursue peace. Thank you.
