A fragile ceasefire arrangement appeared to move forward on the ground on Thursday, as the Lebanese Army confirmed the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the towns of Dibbine and Blat and began coordinated deployments with UNIFIL toward previously contested areas.

The Lebanese Army said troops were advancing toward the Dibbine road in coordination with the UN peacekeeping force, following what it described as an Israeli withdrawal “agreed upon” in Washington. It did not immediately provide independent verification of full Israeli disengagement on the ground.

The National News Agency (NNA) reported that an army patrol had moved in the afternoon to reopen the Marjayoun–Ibl al-Saqi road in preparation for restoring civilian traffic along the route. However, it added that no confirmed information had yet been received regarding the reported Israeli withdrawal from the Dibbine area, noting that Lebanese units had not yet entered the location to verify conditions directly.

The municipality of Marjayoun said it had received a call from the Israeli military informing it that the road between Marjayoun and Hasbaya was now open. It urged residents not to use the route until an official statement was issued by the Lebanese Army command.

The Lebanese Army subsequently began work to reopen the Marjayoun–Dibbine–Ibl al-Saqi axis.

The developments came as political and military discussions around a broader ceasefire framework continued to unfold internationally. According to Axios, senior U.S. officials said President Donald Trump is seeking to end the war in Lebanon, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears more inclined toward continuing military operations.

The U.S. outlet reported that Netanyahu fears Washington could impose stricter conditions on Israeli strikes in Lebanon, including outside Beirut, before granting approval for further action. An Israeli source told Axios that Netanyahu is concerned recent tense exchanges with Trump could signal broader U.S. constraints on Israel’s operational freedom in Lebanon.

In parallel, Israel's Army Radio reported that during a limited security meeting convened by Netanyahu, the Israeli military presented ministers with a proposal for a large-scale ground maneuver in Lebanon. Netanyahu, however, expressed reservations amid reported U.S. pressure against further escalation.

According to the report, Defense Minister Israel Katz and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir supported the proposal, while Netanyahu hesitated after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened earlier in the week to block planned strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut and to limit broader military escalation.

Overnight, the U.S. State Department announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to renew their fragile ceasefire and establish several “pilot security zones” in southern Lebanon, from which Hezbollah would be excluded. Under the arrangement, the Lebanese Armed Forces would take full control of those areas, though implementation details remain unclear.