Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, has said that the agreement with Lebanon is unprecedented and that the next round of talks will be held at the ambassadorial level. He added that the United States, Israel and Lebanon have reached a shared understanding aimed at keeping Iran out of the process. According to Leiter, Israel is seeking to “neutralize Hezbollah,” and any ceasefire would be conditional on the cessation of attacks and the dismantling of the group’s structure and infrastructure. The Israeli official also said that under the framework, Hezbollah forces would be allowed to move northward, while special units of the Lebanese Army would gradually be deployed in southern Lebanon. The U.S. State Department has also stressed that the objective of the Lebanon-Israel talks is to achieve a comprehensive and broad-based agreement.
