Israeli forces advanced north of the Litani River during ground operations in May 2026, establishing positions in areas such as around Zawtar al-Sharqiyah as part of expanded efforts against Hezbollah infrastructure. A June 2026 US-brokered framework agreement between Israel, Lebanon, and the United States outlined two small pilot zones—one north and one south of the river—for phased, conditions-based redeployments tied to verifiable Lebanese Armed Forces control and non-state actor disarmament. Israel has implemented limited withdrawals in these zones but maintains its primary security buffer, with officials stating any further pullback depends on results rather than fixed deadlines. Recent diplomatic rounds through August 2026 have stalled over implementation pace, Hezbollah's rejection of the deal, and ongoing Israeli strikes, leaving broader withdrawal from territory beyond the river contingent on sustained Lebanese security performance.