Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement in Washington on Friday, designating two occupied zones for Israeli military withdrawal in exchange for Lebanese army deployment, as Israeli occupation forces issued new displacement orders affecting thousands of civilians across the south.
On Friday, Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement in Washington in the presence of the U.S. Secretary of State, following approval by the Lebanese government and Israeli authorities. A security annex accompanied the agreement.
The declaration of intent contains provisions governing operations in southern Lebanon in the coming period. It designates two model zones currently under Israeli occupation, from which Israeli forces are to withdraw in exchange for Lebanese army deployment.
The two zones are meant to serve as a starting point for further Israeli withdrawals, though no clear timeline has been provided for completing the Israeli military departure from southern Lebanon. Israeli media reported that Israeli forces will remain in what it calls the "Yellow Zone" until Hezbollah disarms.
As the framework agreement was being signed, Israeli occupation forces escalated displacement orders across the south. On March 12, the spokesman for Israeli occupation forces released an updated evacuation map, expanding the designated evacuation zone to include all territory between the southern border and the Zahrani River, extending beyond the previously mapped Litani River line.
The occupation forces also issued threats to evacuate six villages north of the Litani River in the Sidon district: Matarieh al-Shomar, al-Khariyeb, Arzi, al-Zarariyeh, Mazraat al-Wasita, and Mazraat Jamjam.
Earlier displacement orders targeted Zalaya, Labaya, Yahmar, Sahmor, Qalaya, and Dalafi in the Bekaa region, with residents ordered to move north toward the town of Qaaroun. Israeli forces demolished the Dalafi Bridge last week, which connected the western Bekaa to the south, after issuing a demolition warning.
The occupation forces threatened attacks on crossings over the Litani River starting that afternoon, citing prevention of Hezbollah weapons transfers. This threat followed a pattern of targeting bridges connecting southern districts to one another and to neighboring governorates, a tactic aimed at isolating the region from the rest of the country.
The occupation spokesman also threatened to evacuate the Maasnaa border crossing with Syria, ordering all persons in the area and travelers to distance themselves from the M30 highway connecting the two countries. The occupation justified the threat by claiming Hezbollah uses the crossing for military purposes and weapons smuggling, despite the Syrian government controlling all border crossings since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime and preventing any weapons transfers.
Lebanese security forces began evacuating their positions at Maasnaa and removing documents and records from the posts. The expansion of displacement zones and accelerated evacuation threats signal that the framework agreement's provisions for Israeli withdrawal remain contingent on conditions that may not be met, leaving tens of thousands of civilians in legal limbo over whether they can return to their homes.
