Protesters gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs after Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement in Washington aimed at ending fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Eyewitness video released on 26 and 27 June showed protesters and motorcyclists on the streets, waving flags and honking as thick black smoke rose behind them. Part of a billboard could be seen burning as cars moved slowly through the crowd.
Reuters said it verified the location of the video as Beirut’s southern suburbs using signage, electric poles, road layout, satellite imagery and archival material. The date of the footage could not be independently verified, although Reuters reported protests in the area on the night of 26 June. No older versions of the video were found online before that date.
Lebanese Ambassador Nada Moawad and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter signed the trilateral document with the United States at the State Department in Washington on Friday.
Few details of the agreement were released, and both sides described it as an initial step.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the deal marked the start of a “difficult journey” but called it “important”, “essential” and “necessary”.
Rubio later said Washington would help implement the agreement through a trilateral Military Coordination Group for Lebanon. He said the U.S. would also provide immediate humanitarian assistance worth $100 million in coordination with the United Nations.
He added that Washington intended to help improve the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces, including through more than $30 million in existing U.S. funding.
The proposed agreement calls for Hezbollah to disarm and for Israeli troops to withdraw from Lebanon, although it remains unclear how the deal would be enforced.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the agreement would allow Israeli forces to remain in southern Lebanon if Hezbollah does not disarm.
He said the deal would also allow the Lebanese army to begin taking control of territory, starting with two “pilot zones” from which Israeli troops would withdraw.
Israel describes the territory it occupies in southern Lebanon as a security or buffer zone intended to prevent Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the agreement should allow Lebanese citizens to return to “fully liberated” land and rebuild their homes, with “no partner” in Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Hezbollah said it would not cooperate with the agreement.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said Lebanese authorities would not be able to enforce the deal unless, with U.S. support, “they go to civil war”, according to pro-Iranian broadcaster Al Mayadeen.
He said Hezbollah would oppose any measure taken by Lebanese authorities and would hold on to its weapons.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began after the armed group fired at Israel on 2 March, days after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran. The attacks triggered Israeli air and ground operations in Lebanon, killing more than 4,000 people and displacing more than one million.
Israel says at least 32 soldiers and four civilians have been killed in the latest round of hostilities. Hezbollah does not release figures for its fighters killed in the war.
Violence has continued despite earlier ceasefire efforts.
Israel said on Friday that its forces had killed seven Hezbollah members operating near territory occupied by Israeli troops. Reuters could not independently confirm the claim.
Lebanese state media reported that Israeli forces dropped leaflets over the southern Lebanese town of Mansouri on Friday, ordering residents to leave. It was the first such order since the latest ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect.
A senior Lebanese military official said Israel had recently added Mansouri to its occupation zone. The official said Lebanese farmers had continued to enter and leave the town, but had not been living there.
An Israeli military spokesperson said the leaflets were a reminder to civilians that the area was inside a security zone where Israeli soldiers operate.
The U.S. military said it completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, targeting logistics infrastructure and maritime ca...
Iran struck eastern Syria on Friday, Iranian state media and a Syrian military source said, in the first known attack by Tehran on Syrian territory si...
Apple is closing in on Nvidia's position as the world's most valuable publicly traded company, as investors increasingly bet the iPhone maker can turn...
The Israeli army has begun setting up a new line of permanent military posts in southern Lebanon, according to a report by Israeli newspaper Maariv, a move that could complicate ongoing efforts to implement a US-backed withdrawal framework.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 15th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has promised to avenge the killing of his father, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Tehran and Washington had agreed to continue talks despite an escalation of hostilities this week.
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The half-time interval during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final is expected to be extended to around 30 minutes to accommodate the tournament’s first-ever major half-time concert.
Nineteen years ago, at Barcelona's Camp Nou, Lionel Messi posed for a charity photo shoot with a five-month-old baby he had never met. On Sunday, that baby, Lamine Yamal, will face Messi in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final as Spain take on Argentina. A full-circle football story.
The U.S. military said it completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, targeting logistics infrastructure and maritime capabilities. Iran responded by launching strikes at U.S. bases in neighbouring countries.
Aid organisations in Afghanistan are struggling to keep women in work as Taliban restrictions force them to spend more on male guardians, transport and separate workplaces, a June 2026 survey has found.
Uzbekistan and Italy's Tuscany region have agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, education and culture following talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tuscany Governor Eugenio Giani in Tashkent.
Iran struck eastern Syria on Friday, Iranian state media and a Syrian military source said, in the first known attack by Tehran on Syrian territory since a regional war erupted earlier this year.
Disruptions to shipping through the Gulf are creating an unexpected opportunity for Pakistan, as conflict around the Strait of Hormuz prompts vessels to divert cargo to Karachi, reshaping regional maritime trade.
Uzbekistan and Türkiye have agreed to expand the range of products eligible for preferential tariff treatment, signing a protocol that adds eight new tariff lines to their Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). The move increases the total number of covered product categories from 12 to 20.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment