According to a recent report, the United States is investigating the potential for a land border agreement between Lebanon and Israel.

American officials are currently assessing the feasibility of a land border agreement between Israel and Lebanon, akin to the maritime border deal established in 2022, according to Israeli sources. As reported by the Yedioth Aharonot newspaper, Amos Hochstein, a key figure in the maritime border agreement and actively working to de-escalate border tensions since October 7, is exploring ways to resolve the land border disputes between the two countries.

One of the primary areas of contention is the Shebaa Farms region, which Lebanon claims as its territory but is occupied by Israel. The main objective of such an agreement would be to address these border issues, which Hezbollah, a major political and militant group in Lebanon, often cites in its domestic criticisms against Israel. However, Israeli authorities believe the real aim is to diplomatically dislodge Hezbollah from the border area, avoiding the necessity of a military conflict in the north.

The Biden administration has communicated to Israel that it does not support an Israeli preemptive strike against Hezbollah. President Joe Biden has actively worked to present a strong deterrent against Hezbollah’s aggression towards Israel.

Recently, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant held an intense meeting with leaders of Israeli communities near the Lebanese border. He assured them that Hezbollah would be pushed back past the Litani River, through diplomatic or military strategies. Galant emphasized that the return of residents to northern Israel hinged on Hezbollah’s removal from the border.

Last week, Galant’s comments about the imminent return of northern residents, citing Hezbollah’s deterrence and displacement from the border, caused upset among the locals. He has now clarified that the conflict will persist until Hezbollah is fully removed, as stated by Yedioth Aharonot.