BEIRUT, July 5 -- While Lebanese and Israeli officials worked in Washington to consolidate the terms of a ceasefire arrangement, Israeli troops inside the southern Lebanon security zone killed an armed individual on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces announced, a reminder that the diplomatic calendar and the on-the-ground reality in the south remain far apart.

The IDF said its soldiers had identified "an armed terrorist operating inside the Security Zone in blatant violation of the agreement." Following what it described as extensive searches after the initial exchange of fire, the individual was eliminated. The announcement was posted on X, where the IDF uses the word "terrorist" as standard communique language for all armed contacts i...