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“We are breaking the Iranian terror axis, but we are also breaking the Iranian diplomatic axis,” Netanyahu said.
By United with Israel Staff
Israeli leaders hailed the newly signed U.S.-brokered framework agreement with Lebanon over the weekend as a major strategic victory over Iran and Hezbollah, while both the Iranian regime and Hezbollah denounced the deal and demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
The framework agreement, signed Friday by Israel, Lebanon, and the United States after five rounds of negotiations in Washington, lays out a process to remove Hezbollah from southern Lebanon, transfer security responsibility in designated areas to the Lebanese Armed Forces, and create conditions for broader political cooperation between the two countries.
“It is the beginning of the beginning. There’s a lot of work ahead,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after the signing ceremony, calling the agreement “a bold decision” by both Israel and Lebanon.
Rubio described Hezbollah as “Iran’s most dangerous proxy,” blaming the terror group for dragging Lebanon into repeated wars, threatening Americans around the world, and building a vast military infrastructure inside Lebanon. He said the agreement creates “a clear and structured process to restore Lebanon’s sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the agreement a “historic breakthrough” and said it represents “a major blow to Iran and Hezbollah.”
“We are breaking the Iranian terror axis, but we are also breaking the Iranian diplomatic axis,” Netanyahu said.
He stressed that Israel will maintain its security zone in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is fully disarmed, saying the agreement establishes a pilot program in two areas near the Blue Line where Hezbollah will be disarmed before responsibility is transferred to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed that message, calling the agreement “a strategic blow to the Iranian axis.”
“The important principle established in the agreement is that there will be no Israeli redeployment in southern Lebanon, and no withdrawal, as long as the terror organization Hezbollah is not disarmed throughout all of Lebanon and the safety of northern residents is guaranteed,” Katz said.
He added that Israel had instructed the IDF to prepare for a prolonged stay in the security zone and warned Iran against attempting to derail implementation of the agreement.
The deal was immediately rejected by Hezbollah. The terror group’s leader, Naim Qassem, called the agreement “null and void” and condemned provisions conditioning any future Israeli withdrawal on Hezbollah’s disarmament, saying they crossed “all red lines.”
“We did not leave the battlefield in the most difficult circumstances, and we will not leave it,” Qassem declared.
Iran also condemned the framework.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi insisted Israel must withdraw from all Lebanese territory and cease military operations, arguing that responsibility for enforcing the ceasefire rests with the United States under last week’s memorandum of understanding.
Araqchi accused Washington of failing to uphold its commitments and said the war “must end on all fronts, including Lebanon.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei echoed that message, saying ending Israeli military operations and securing an Israeli withdrawal from “occupied” Lebanese territory are among the memorandum’s central provisions.
“America is responsible for implementing this clause and must force Israel to stop the attacks and withdraw from Lebanon,” Baghaei said.
For Israel, the agreement represents a significant strategic achievement, formally linking any future withdrawal to Hezbollah’s disarmament rather than to a fixed timetable. For Hezbollah and its Iranian backers, it marks a diplomatic setback they have already vowed to challenge.
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