Just hours before the agreement was announced in Washington, Israeli aircraft were dropping leaflets over the town of Al Mansouri in southern Lebanon, demanding that residents keep away from the area, as airstrikes, ground incursions, and bulldozing operations continued. The Israeli army announced it had carried out operations it said targeted Hezbollah operatives.
But the scene shifted by the end of the day when the United States announced it had reached a framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, concluding the fifth round of negotiations hosted by Washington — a step it said paves the way for a process aimed at consolidating security and opening the door to broader understandings between the two sides.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the framework agreement during a signing ceremony at which the flags of the United States, Israel, and Lebanon were raised, affirming that it constitutes the foundation for "a framework for lasting peace and security" between the two countries.
The announcement came after talks were extended by an additional day to complete negotiations, at a time when developments on the southern border reflected continuing tension until the final hours before the agreement was declared.
Lebanese official media reported that an Israeli drone dropped leaflets over the town of Al Mansouri urging residents to stay away from the area and not approach Israeli forces.
An Israeli army spokesman said the leaflets were issued as a "reminder" to civilians that the area falls within what he described as the "security zone" in which Israeli forces operate, calling on them not to remain there "so as not to be harmed."
Reuters quoted a senior Lebanese army official as saying that Israel had recently incorporated Al Mansouri into the area under its control in southern Lebanon, noting that farmers were still entering and leaving but were no longer residing there. This coincided with the continuation of military operations along the border.
The Israeli army announced it had killed 7 people it described as Hezbollah operatives who were active near the "security zone," while Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the announcement.
The Lebanese National News Agency, meanwhile, reported that Israeli forces had advanced with vehicles and bulldozers from the town of Hadatha toward the outskirts of the town of Haris, carrying out extensive combing operations amid intensive drone activity.
The agency also reported that the Israeli army carried out bulldozing and burning of homes in the town of Markaba, while 2 Israeli airstrikes targeted the outskirts of the town of Al Nabatiyah Al Fawqa.
The agency added that the explosion of a war remnant in the town of Al Mansouri killed 1 person and left another critically wounded, without directly linking the incident to the ongoing military operations.
On the Israeli side, the army announced that 4 of its soldiers, including 2 officers, were wounded during a clash with a gunman in southern Lebanon on Thursday, stating that one of the officers sustained moderate injuries while the others were described as lightly wounded.
In a separate development, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, in a statement issued by the presidency, praised the position announced by the Gulf Cooperation Council states following their ministerial meeting with the United States — in particular their affirmation of support for Lebanon's sovereignty, security, and stability, their welcoming of the ongoing negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, and their call to extend Lebanese state authority over all Lebanese territory and to restrict arms to legitimate institutions in accordance with UN Resolution 1701.
Aoun also welcomed the initiative announced by French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to form an international coalition for the post-UNIFIL phase after the mission concludes at the end of the year, describing the initiative as reflecting international support for Lebanon's sovereignty and the strengthening of the Lebanese army's capabilities. Macron and Meloni said the goal is to avoid any security vacuum following the end of the UN force's mandate.