A fundamental shift in Israel’s northern security environment will only be possible if Iran halts its support for Hezbollah, Israeli and U.S. officials were quoted as saying, according to Israel Hayom, which added that such a scenario is not seen as imminent.

In a report on the newly implemented Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, the newspaper said the agreement is grounded in understandings reached in November 2024 under mediation by the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden. Those arrangements, it said, go beyond a simple cessation of hostilities and also preserve the Israeli army’s freedom of action against imminent threats.

During the earlier ceasefire framework and up to the outbreak of the war with Iran, Israel carried out extensive strikes against Hezbollah, killing hundreds of its fighters and damaging key military infrastructure, including launch sites and weapons systems, according to the report.

Israeli and American officials were quoted as saying that the principle of operational freedom remains intact under the current arrangement. They said Israeli forces will not withdraw from areas entered in recent weeks and will continue operations against Hezbollah targets. In addition, Israel will not permit the return of most residents to villages in southern Lebanon at this stage.

At the same time, Israeli officials said the military intends to reduce the scale of its offensive operations in the near term, particularly during ongoing diplomatic efforts, in order to allow negotiations to progress and to give Lebanon’s government space to consolidate domestic backing ahead of direct talks.

A U.S. official said a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun—referenced earlier by U.S. President Donald Trump—is expected within weeks, with the goal of reaching a formal agreement within a few months.

According to the same official, any eventual agreement would likely lead to an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, but only after key provisions are implemented, including the dismantling of Hezbollah’s military capabilities.

The official also said Lebanon has been promised significant economic assistance aimed at stabilizing its economy, with the prospect of future investment from Gulf states and other partners. However, he stressed that such support would depend on Hezbollah ceasing to function as a destabilizing armed actor within Lebanon.

In parallel, an Israeli security official said that once a separation line between Israeli forces and Hezbollah is established inside Lebanon, the area will be cleared of remaining infrastructure.

Separately, an Israeli official told the Walla news site that a buffer or separation line in southern Lebanon is expected to be established within 24 hours, after which the army would continue operations in the area to “cleanse” remaining militant infrastructure.

A security source added that the Israeli military now faces “a great deal of work,” describing the situation as an opportunity to dismantle long-standing Hezbollah infrastructure.

Israel’s public broadcaster reported that, following a security assessment, local authorities in northern Israel have instructed residents to begin returning to normal life starting Sunday.