Lebanon warns of limited patience as Hezbollah vows to defend cease‑fire amid stalled Israeli withdrawal

Hezbollah deputy Hussein Jishi told a ceremony that the movement will not offer any pretext to undermine the Lebanese‑Israeli cease‑fire, but warned that its patience has limits and it will respond if Israel continues violations in south Lebanon. He criticized the Lebanese authorities for pursuing a direct “framework agreement” with Israel, arguing that indirect negotiations have yielded results in the past.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun, speaking to a U.S. working group, condemned Israel’s refusal to withdraw from the south and stressed that the Lebanese army must return to the border. He affirmed that the U.S.‑brokered June 26 framework agreement calls for a phased Israeli pull‑out, beginning with two pilot zones, and warned that the ongoing occupation undermines the state’s legitimacy and the prospect of lasting peace.