Soldiers stand watch at a Lebanese army checkpoint in Zawtar al-Gharbiya, southern Lebanon, on Friday. Zawtar al-Gharbiya is among the designated pilot zones under the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, from which Israeli forces are scheduled to withdraw. Photo by EPA
BEIRUT, Lebanon, July 24 (UPI) -- Lebanon is walking a tightrope as it seeks to secure Israel's withdrawal from its occupied southern region and end the nearly three-year war with Hezbollah.
The country has secured a "first diplomatic achievement" buoyed by growing support from U.S. President Donald Trump, yet still risks the collapse of its efforts.
Hezbollah and Iran could derail Lebanon's negotiations and undermine the implementation of the U.S.-brokered framework agreement reached with Israel on June 26 by launching attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon or even targets inside Israel.
Both continue to insist on linking Lebanon's track to Iran's negotiations with the United States, despite those talks being suspended following the renewed confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
