In a recent report, the Emirati website 'Erem News' highlighted the framework agreement signed in Washington between Lebanon and Israel, under the direct supervision of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The report suggests that the agreement is not merely about border arrangements but constitutes a coordinated plan aimed at dismantling Iranian influence and ending the armed presence of Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Following the signing of the document, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that a pilot project to disarm Hezbollah would be implemented outside the Yellow Line, specifically deep north of the Litani River. This marks a step towards what the report calls the 'Northern Protocol,' the success of which is deemed essential by Washington and Tel Aviv to curb Tehran's regional arms and limit Hezbollah's military role.
The report cites Western sources who told 'Erem News' that the Washington-adopted formula is based on performance contingent on results and time, allowing Israel to retain control in the south by keeping its forces within the existing security belt known as the Yellow Line, reaching about eight kilometers.
The sources added that Israel seeks to turn this border strip into a direct political leverage, linking any future withdrawal to the success of Lebanese state institutions in dismantling Hezbollah's infrastructure and disarming it in the proposed model areas north of the Litani—regions not occupied by the Israeli army and characterized by complex geographical environments.
These security arrangements present a constitutional challenge for the Lebanese government, which holds the authority to conclude treaties under Article 52 of the constitution. However, accepting Netanyahu's formula poses the dilemma of fragmented sovereignty.
The report pointed out that the Lebanese army faces logistical and operational challenges, especially after the military delegation in Washington discussions expressed reservations over the formula of the party to undergo security testing under international surveillance.
It explained that this mechanism might place the Lebanese military units deployed north of the Litani in direct confrontation with Hezbollah's supportive environment, while the Israeli army maintains control over the commanding heights, including Ali Taher Heights and the valley of Wadi Al Saluki.
The report concluded that ongoing localized military operations and home demolitions to solidify Israeli security reality in southern Lebanon redirect focus to Beirut, awaiting the interim agreement's referral to the cabinet for approval.
Ultimately, the report added that field developments reveal that the Washington signing did not end the conflict; it relocated it to deep north of the Litani, tying the return of residents to border villages to the full disarmament of factions under joint American and Israeli surveillance.