Netanyahu says Israel will withdraw from two areas in Lebanon under new deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the country will withdraw from two areas in southern Lebanon and hand them over to the Lebanese military under a newly signed deal.

After nearly four days of negotiations in Washington, Israel, Lebanon and the US reached a trilateral deal that will pave the way for future agreements toward a broader peace deal, an Israeli official told CNN.

Which areas will see an Israeli pullback?

Netanyahu said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would withdraw from two areas in southern Lebanon, including one north of the Litani River and another south of it. The Israeli-controlled territory in southern Lebanon includes areas located south of the Litani River. In a pre-recorded video statement released on Friday evening, Netanyahu said the IDF would leave positions it "does not need" in Lebanon.

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Following Israel's withdrawal, the Lebanese Army will move into these areas as part of a pilot program, also part of the latest trilateral deal. Netanyahu has called the deal a major win for Israel, as it still gets to hold much of Lebanon's territory.

Israel-Lebanon deal

Israel, Lebanon and the United States on Friday signed a trilateral framework agreement aimed at creating a pathway towards a future peace deal between the two countries, which have remained locked in decades of conflict.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at the signing ceremony, said the agreement represented an important step towards a more permanent arrangement.

“This begins to put in place a framework for lasting peace and security,” Rubio said.

Lebanon’s ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, described the accord as an initial step towards restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while working towards a permanent end to hostilities and allowing displaced residents to return home.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, said the agreement would remove Iranian influence and Hezbollah’s presence from the equation, adding that it opened the way for improved relations between Israel and Lebanon.