A permanent Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon is “inconsistent” with a US-sponsored framework agreement signed in June and undermines long-term peace, Anadolu reports citing a senior US State Department official, who was cited by Israel’s Channel 12.

The unnamed official’s remarks come in response to Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz’s statement that Israel does not intend to withdraw from southern Lebanon.

“The US expects all parties to act in a manner consistent with the framework they agreed to, and Israel has made it clear that it has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon,” the official says.

“A permanent military presence in southern Lebanon is inconsistent with the commitments set forth in the framework, or with the long-term peace and security of both countries.”

The framework agreement clearly establishes a conditions-based pathway under which the Israeli army will gradually redeploy, provided Hezbollah is disarmed and its infrastructure is dismantled in a verifiable manner, the official adds.

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