Israeli officials have conditioned any significant redeployment of forces beyond the Litani River on verifiable Lebanese Armed Forces control and Hezbollah disarmament, per the June 26, 2026, U.S.-brokered trilateral framework agreement. That deal designates only two limited pilot zones—one north and one south of the river—for phased handover after training and third-party verification, while preserving Israel’s expanded security zone established earlier in 2026. Hezbollah has rejected the framework outright, and Israeli operations continued into September, including clearance of tunnels on the Ali al-Taher ridge north of the river. Israeli statements emphasize no timetable or automatic further withdrawals, with presence described as long-term absent measurable progress against non-state armed groups. Trader assessments reflect these structural barriers and the absence of near-term diplomatic breakthroughs that would alter the conditions-based process.