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The Lebanese Army issued a statement condemning Israeli military activities in southern Lebanon that it said violate both a recently signed framework agreement and international law. These actions are obstructing the full deployment of troops in the area and blocking displaced residents from returning to their villages and towns, according to the statement. The army detailed specific incidents involving the systematic destruction and bulldozing of homes along with bombardment and sweeps using automatic weapons. Such behavior directly contravenes the terms under which Lebanese forces are to assume security responsibilities in the south.
A trilateral framework agreement between the United States, Israel and Lebanon signed on June 26, 2026 aims to secure lasting peace through the disarmament of non-state groups and the restoration of Lebanese state control over its territory, a US State Department release said. The pact includes Israeli withdrawal from occupied southern zones and the phased deployment of the Lebanese Army to secure the border region. Implementation of the deal began in pilot areas during the third week of July after Israeli forces transferred sections of a buffer zone, Reuters reported on July 21. The agreement followed months of conflict and was intended to prevent any return to hostilities along the shared border.
Lebanese forces initiated deployment in the southern Nabatieh district village of Zawtar al-Gharbiya earlier in the week as part of initial steps under the US-brokered deal, The New York Times reported. Hours after troops moved in, the army accused Israeli forces of opening fire near its units in a separate statement that warned the incident could hinder further rollout in pilot zones. Army Chief Gen. Rodolphe Helou stated that the Israeli occupation remains the only barrier to completing full deployment across the area, according to accounts carried by regional outlets. These events have raised tensions as both sides take initial steps to transfer control.
Residents displaced by previous fighting have expressed eagerness to return to their homes yet have been urged by the army and local officials to await stabilization of the security situation before heading south, Al Jazeera noted in coverage of the pilot deployment. The delays caused by reported violations have compounded frustrations among communities waiting to rebuild in the affected border villages. Coordination between Lebanese authorities and international partners continues in an effort to maintain momentum on the agreement’s provisions for verified disarmament and territorial recovery.
The framework deal builds on earlier ceasefire extensions and establishes mechanisms for third-party verification to address shortcomings of past arrangements, according to an analysis published by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Israeli forces had remained in certain occupied sectors of southern Lebanon until the phased handovers commenced in mid-July under US mediation. The latest army statement on July 26 underscores persistent challenges in executing the agreement on the ground while calling for full adherence to its terms by all parties involved.
