Pakistan, June 27 -- Israel and Lebanon have signed a US-brokered framework agreement aimed at laying the groundwork for a lasting peace after months of cross-border conflict, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing it as the first step toward restoring stability in the region.

The agreement was signed in Washington by the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States in the presence of Rubio. According to the US State Department, the framework establishes a process to dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure, facilitate the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, and restore Lebanon's sovereignty over affected areas.

The United States will oversee implementation through a newly established Military ...