Israel and Lebanon sign agreement after five rounds of negotiations in Washington

After five rounds of negotiations and five days of intensive discussions in Washington, Israel and Lebanon have signed an agreement aimed at laying the foundations for reducing tensions between the two countries.

According to statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the situation on the ground is not expected to change immediately. He stressed that the Israeli army will continue to remain in what he described as a “security zone” in southern Lebanon.

Although the agreement has been reached, developments on the ground show that achieving stability remains difficult.

A few hours before the announcement of the agreement was made public, the Israeli army carried out two airstrikes on one of the main cities in southern Lebanon. At the same time, Hezbollah continues to demand the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the south of the country, rejecting any solution that does not provide for this step.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the agreement as “only the beginning” of a broader diplomatic process. Meanwhile, Italy also gave its support to this development, underlining through a government statement that it will continue to contribute to international efforts to stabilize the region.