BREAKING,

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced the deal after talks unfolded in Washington, DC.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced a deal framework between Lebanon and Israel after negotiations in Washington, DC.

Details about the agreement remain scarce. But in his remarks on Friday, Rubio made clear that the deal was only the “first step” in further negotiations.

“It’s the beginning of the beginning,” Rubio said, surrounded by representatives from both Lebanon and Israel.

“There’s 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.”

The two sides had gathered in Washington, DC, for three days of US-mediated talks this week, starting on Tuesday.

Ongoing fighting in Lebanon has threatened to disrupt efforts to forge a ceasefire between Iran and the US.

On June 17, the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to bring to a halt the US-Israeli war against Iran. That 14-point document required “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon”.

But Israel has occupied nearly a fifth of Lebanon, and it continued to bombard the country after the memorandum was signed.

Last Friday, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire, but Israeli troops remain stationed in southern Lebanon, and while its attacks have lessened, they have not stopped.

The Lebanese group Hezbollah has since called on Israel to withdraw from the country as a necessary condition for peace. “Israel must leave unconditionally,” Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said.

More details to come…