In Baalbeck, the building housing a branch of Hezbollah's micro-credit company, Qard al-Hassan, destroyed by Israeli strikes. (Credit: Lucile Wassermann/L'Orient-Le Jour)
A cease-fire deal in Lebanon came into effect Wednesday, 14 months after the war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah. A few hours later, the Israeli media obtained and disclosed the U.S. guarantee letter to the Israeli authorities, alongside the text of the agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv, which stipulates that the U.S. “recognizes Israel's right to respond to Hezbollah threats.”
The Israeli News Channel 13 had access to this text and broadcast its content:
- Israel and the U.S. intend to share sensitive intelligence concerning violations, including any infiltration by Hezbollah into the Lebanese Army.
- The U.S. may share information provided by Israel with the Lebanese government or commission to allow them to address the violations.
- The U.S. is committed to cooperating with Israel to curb Iran's destabilizing activities in Lebanon, including preventing the transfer of weapons, affiliates and others from Iranian territory.
- The U.S. recognizes Israel's right to respond to threats from Lebanese territory, in accordance with international law.
- The U.S. recognizes Israel's right to respond to threats coming from Lebanese territory in accordance with international law.
- Outside the southern region, Israel reserves the right to act against the development of threats directed against it, if Lebanon is unable or unwilling to thwart these threats, including the smuggling of illegal weapons to Lebanon from borders and crossing points.
- If Israel decides to take such steps, it will inform the U.S. of this wherever possible.
- Israeli flights over Lebanon will be conducted for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance purposes only, will not be visible to the naked eye and will not break the sound barrier.
The war between Israel and Hezbollah has killed 3,823 people and wounded 15,859 in Lebanon since Oct. 8, 2023.
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.
