Washington DC - Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Monday called for the further implementation of a framework agreement with Israel after meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.

Lebanon and Israel concluded a framework agreement in June under US auspices, providing for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory so long as Hezbollah ceases its operations against Israel and is disarmed.

The agreement came as Beirut fought desperately to stop Jerusalem's relentless bombing of its southern territory, which has killed more than 4300 people – many civilians, women, and children.

In a statement, Salam's office said that in his meeting with Rubio, he "stressed the need to move to the stage of implementation of the tripartite framework."

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He called for "practical steps and tangible results on the ground, leading to the restoration of Lebanon's full sovereignty, the achievement of a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, and the confinement of weapons to the state throughout its territory."

Rubio, who had met with Salam at the State Department in Washington DC on Monday, said in a post to X that he had reaffirmed the US' commitment to the process.

"Met with Lebanese Prime Minister Salam today, reaffirming strong US support as Lebanon implements the Trilateral Framework – the only path to a durable peace with Israel," Rubio wrote on X.

The agreement involves the deployment of the Lebanese army to the south, starting in test areas known as "pilot zones."

Earlier this month, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa visited one of the "pilot zones" that recently came under Lebanese military control "to assess conditions on the ground and see firsthand the progress and challenges" there.

Salam "called for the establishment of a credible verification mechanism to monitor implementation and ensure compliance" and stressed the importance of continued US support.