Lebanon demands full Israeli pullout as negotiations intensify

Lebanese President Joseph Avn told a Washington‑based meeting that the only acceptable outcome is the complete end of Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon and the removal of all foreign oversight. He said the fifth round of talks, involving US advisers and Lebanese military chief Rudolph Heykel, aims to secure a durable cease‑fire, Israeli withdrawal and the restoration of Lebanese sovereignty.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed establishing a joint monitoring cell to oversee any cease‑fire, while the recent U.S.–Iran agreement reaffirms respect for Lebanon’s territorial integrity. Syrian President Ahmed Shara, in interviews on Dubai’s El‑Meşhed channel, reiterated that Syria will not revert to past military interventions in Lebanon and is ready to play a diplomatic, economic and security‑focused role, even considering dialogue with Hezbollah. Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Kasım called for Israel’s complete exit from Lebanese soil as the only option.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, however, asserted that Israeli forces will retain full freedom of movement in southern Lebanon despite the cease‑fire mechanism. The competing statements highlight the complex regional diplomatic push to end hostilities and restore Lebanese state authority.