Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected a framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, objecting to its linkage of the group’s disarmament with the future of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. He accused Lebanon’s government of surrendering sovereignty and said Hezbollah would continue armed resistance.
The US-mediated framework was signed in Washington on June 26. Al Jazeera reported that the text did not require an Israeli withdrawal, instead setting out a route toward formal talks, direct communication and a broader peace and security arrangement. Qassem argued that accepting those terms could entrench Israel’s presence and ultimately expose Lebanese territory to annexation.
Israeli statements reinforced uncertainty over the duration of the deployment. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israeli forces needed defensible borders and might remain even after Hezbollah disarmed. Defence Minister Israel Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed the military to prepare for a prolonged stay in the area Israel calls a security zone.
Violence continued after the signing. Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said an Israeli attack on Nabatieh al-Fawqa killed one person and injured two on June 27, the first reported casualties since the deal. Lebanon’s National News Agency also reported bombing near Markaba and Nabatieh al-Fawqa overnight and during the day. The supplied evidence did not identify those struck or include an Israeli account of the targets.
Hezbollah supporters demonstrated in Beirut after the agreement, burning tyres and obstructing a road to the airport. The Lebanese army urged people to avoid actions that could threaten public order. Public Prosecutor Judge Ahmad Rami al-Hajj instructed security services to prevent rioting and identify participants responsible for offences, according to NNA.
Lebanese political reactions were divided. Former justice minister and member of parliament Ashraf Rifi supported the deal as a restoration of state authority, while Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil called for responsible engagement. Hezbollah member of parliament Hassan Fadlallah warned that an attempt by the Lebanese army to impose the arrangement could cause civil war.
Outside analysts also questioned its viability. Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas argued that Hezbollah, rather than a conventional territorial dispute between the two states, was the central obstacle. Former US diplomat Nabeel Khoury called the framework favourable to Israel and dangerous for Lebanon.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli attacks since March 2 had killed at least 4,246 people and wounded 12,190. Those cumulative figures and the June 27 casualties were ministry reports; the packet provided no independent audit. The evidence did not explain how the latest strike might affect implementation of the framework.
