The United States, Israel, and Lebanon issued a joint statement Tuesday announcing a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, contingent on a full cessation of Hezbollah fire and the withdrawal of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector. The announcement followed a two-day high-level trilateral meeting convened by the State Department on June 2 and 3.

The meeting, the fourth in the current round of U.S.-led negotiations, produced agreements on both security and political tracks. Under the framework outlined in the joint statement, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) will assume exclusive control of pilot zones in southern Lebanon, displacing all non-state actors from those areas. The two sides agreed to reconvene the week of June 22 with the goal of reaching a comprehensive agreement.

The statement represented a significant step in the ongoing effort to formalize the cessation of hostilities that has held, fitfully, since last year’s military campaign. It builds on security discussions held at the Pentagon on May 29.

The ceasefire framework includes several interlocking conditions. Israel reaffirmed that its security requirements center on the disarmament of Hezbollah and the dismantlement of its infrastructure throughout Lebanon, while Lebanon insisted on mutual respect for internationally recognized borders and the full exercise of state sovereignty. The joint statement emphasized that any agreement must be reached directly between the two governments under American auspices, and not through any separate track.

The statement also addressed the broader regional context, with all parties condemning Iran’s attacks on countries in the region and its ongoing activities that undermine stability throughout the Middle East, including support for proxies and other acts of aggression. The document cited Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s June 2 statement that Hezbollah “is not just an enemy of Israel and an enemy of America, but that it is an enemy of Lebanon.”

Washington reiterated its commitment to supporting both governments in exercising their sovereignty, and pledged continued material and advisory assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces to strengthen their capacity to assert effective control throughout Lebanese territory. The United States also committed to facilitating ongoing communication between the parties in the weeks leading up to the next formal round of talks.

All three parties affirmed that the future relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be determined by the two sovereign governments themselves, and rejected any attempt by any state or non-state actor to hold Lebanon’s future hostage.

Path to a Comprehensive Agreement
Both Israel and Lebanon expressed their lack of hostile intent toward one another and committed to continuing direct negotiations aimed at building confidence, resolving all outstanding disputes, and working toward a comprehensive bilateral agreement. The security framework being developed focuses on sustainably ensuring the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of both countries, with provisions for the dismantlement of non-state armed groups and the prevention of their re-emergence.

The next trilateral meeting is scheduled for the week of June 22, when both the political and security tracks are expected to resume.