Salam met Rubio at the US State Department on 28 September. His office said the prime minister called for concrete steps based on reciprocity and phased implementation. The stated goals include restoring Lebanon’s full sovereignty, securing a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and placing weapons under state control.
Lebanon and Israel reached the framework agreement in June under US auspices. It also provides for the Lebanese army to deploy in the south, beginning in test areas known as pilot zones. Earlier in September, US ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa visited one such area that had recently come under Lebanese military control to assess conditions, progress and challenges.
Salam called for a credible verification mechanism to monitor implementation and ensure commitments are met. He also stressed continued US support for the Lebanese military, which has been tasked with the difficult mission of disarming Hezbollah. The group refuses to give up its weapons.
In a post on X, Rubio reaffirmed US support for Lebanon’s implementation of the Trilateral Framework, calling it the only path to durable peace with Israel. He said Washington stood with a sovereign Lebanon free from Hezbollah and Iranian influence.
Implementation remains contentious: Israel continues to strike Lebanon and occupies part of the country’s south. Lebanon reported a large explosion in the southern town of Mansouri on 28 September. The Israeli military said it had completed an operation there and dismantled what it described as terrorist infrastructure.
The agreement followed a regional escalation in March 2026, when Tehran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel, which responded with extensive air strikes and a ground invasion. Lebanon says more than 4,300 people have been killed.