U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that ongoing negotiations aimed at stabilizing southern Lebanon are centered on strengthening the Lebanese State and gradually reducing Israel’s military presence, which he said exists only in response to Hezbollah attacks.

Speaking about the talks, Rubio said the process involves continuous engagement between the parties under U.S. mediation and is expected to continue over several days.

“Well, the whole – the only reason Israel is in Lebanon is becauseHezbollah launches rockets and drones from there,” Rubio said. “They’ve made that clear."

He said Washington’s objective is to reinforce Lebanese State authority over its territory, arguing that only official national institutions should control the country.

“And that is our hope, that the Lebanese Armed Forces and the legitimate, sovereign Lebanese Government will continue to be able to control and secure more and more of their own territory – because that’s who needs to control Lebanese territory, not a terrorist group likeHezbollah,” he said.

Rubio added that Israel’s position, as conveyed to Washington, is not rooted in territorial claims but in security concerns tied to cross-border attacks.

“So that’s the goal. And I think the Israelis have been clear. They don’t have any quarrels with the Lebanese people, they don’t have any claims on the territory of Lebanon,” he said. “The reason why they’re involved there is because the territory of Lebanon is being used to launch drones and missiles against Israel.”

He said the extent of Israel’s military presence in Lebanon would depend on how effectively the Lebanese Armed Forces are able to take control of areas currently influenced by Hezbollah.

“But the more of that area the Lebanese Armed Forces is able to secure, the less of it’s in Hezbollah’s control, the less Israel will be in Lebanon,” Rubio said. “But obviously, that’s the process we’re working through right now with these talks. It’s at the core of these talks.”

Asked whether he believed the Lebanese Armed Forces were currently capable of taking over such areas, Rubio said strengthening the institution would be essential and would require sustained international support.

“Well, that’s what we have to do. Look, we have to build up that capacity,” he said. “That’s been a longstanding challenge. I think the willingness is there. I think we need to help build up that capacity.”

He pointed to ongoing discussions over a phased approach involving “pilot zones” where Lebanese forces would gradually assume control of territory.

“And one of the issues that’s been discussed in these negotiations – about the creation of pilot zones, specific defined areas where the Lebanese Armed Forces can go in, take control, and secure that territory, and then move on to the next pilot zone,” Rubio said.

He cautioned that progress would take time and would not produce immediate results.

“So it’ll be a process. This is not going to happen overnight,” he said.

Rubio also noted that Israeli operations in southern Lebanon predate the current phase of escalation, framing the talks as part of a broader effort to de-escalate a long-running conflict.

“I remind everybody that Israel was conducting operations in southern Lebanon well before this operation happened,” he said.

He said the goal of the negotiations is to establish a stable and sovereign Lebanese state free from armed non-state actors and external interference.

“So this is something we all want to see resolved for the future of Lebanon,” Rubio said. “We want to see a Lebanon that’s in the control of their legitimate government, where there is no foreign government encroaching on their territory.”

He reiterated that, according to Israel’s position communicated to Washington, its military presence is solely driven by security threats emanating from Hezbollah.

“And I want to reiterate the Israelis have told us, and that is the only reason why they’re there, is becauseHezbollah is launching against their people. IfHezbollah wasn’t launching against them, they wouldn’t be there,” he said.