WASHINGTON: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Monday called for further action on an agreement with Israel during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, brought Lebanon into the wider Middle East war in March by attacking Israel. Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and a ground invasion. Lebanon says more than 4,300 people have been killed.
Lebanon and Israel reached an agreement in June with US support. It called for Israeli forces to leave in stages and Hezbollah to give up its weapons, but progress has stopped.
Salam’s office said he called for the agreement’s plans to be put into action, with steps taken in stages and both sides meeting their commitments. He said the goal was to restore Lebanon’s full control, have Israeli forces leave Lebanese territory, and ensure that only the state’s forces carry weapons.
Rubio said on X that the United States supports Lebanon as it carries out the agreement, which he called the only way to achieve lasting peace with Israel. He added that the United States supports a Lebanon free from Hezbollah and Iranian influence.
The agreement also calls for the Lebanese army to move into the south, starting in selected areas known as “pilot zones.”
Earlier this month, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa visited one of these areas, which had recently come under the Lebanese army’s control. He said he wanted to see the situation and learn about progress and challenges.
Salam also called for a trusted system to check whether the agreement is being followed. He said continued US support for the Lebanese military was important as it works to disarm Hezbollah.
Hezbollah refuses to give up its weapons. Israel continues to attack Lebanon and holds part of the country’s south, despite the agreement.
On Monday, Lebanon reported a large explosion caused by the Israeli army in the southern town of Mansouri. The Israeli military said it had finished an operation there and removed what it called “terrorist” infrastructure.
Reported By: Our Correspondent I Washington
