Israeli officials have conditioned any major withdrawal of forces from positions beyond the Litani River on verifiable Lebanese Armed Forces deployment and Hezbollah disarmament under the June 2026 U.S.-brokered framework agreement. That deal established limited pilot zones for phased redeployment but tied further steps to security benchmarks rather than fixed timelines. Implementation has since stalled amid continued clashes, Israeli strikes responding to Hezbollah attacks, and IDF operations consolidating control over additional ridges and terrain north of the river. Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz, have stated troops will remain in the security zone until the threat is eliminated, with no automatic further pullbacks expected. Recent events through early September 2026 show limited movement toward the pilot zones and persistent enforcement of buffer areas.